


No Strings Attached

by hayles3108



Category: Vampire Academy & Related Fandoms, Vampire Academy Series - Richelle Mead
Genre: AH - Freeform, AU, F/M, OOC, romitri
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:27:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25994431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hayles3108/pseuds/hayles3108
Summary: Rose needs a distraction after breaking up with her boyfriend, Mason. When she accompanies Lissa to her yoga class one night, she meets Dimitri Belikov, the ridiculously handsome Russian instructor. The two clearly have an instant connection. The only problem? Dimitri doesn't do relationships. (AH, very OOC)
Relationships: Dimitri Belikov & Rose Hathaway, Dimitri Belikov/Rose Hathaway, Romitri - Relationship
Comments: 5
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

"Rose? Are you home?" The blonde called out as she let herself into her best friend's apartment and made her way down the hall into the living room – where she found her curled up on the soft, brown sofa watching re-runs of The Office.

Lissa hated to admit it, but Rose looked a mess. Her usually gorgeous, soft brown hair was thrown back into a bun, and judging by the tangles and stray hairs, it looked like it had been for days. She was dressed in sweatpants and a dressing gown, wore odd socks and was surrounded by empty mugs and chocolate wrappers on the coffee table.

Now, this wouldn't have been unusual for Rose, had it just been a Sunday where she had nothing to do except lounge around or hang out with Lissa. What _was_ unusual, though, was the fact that it was a Friday, and it was the tenth day in a row that Rose had spent like this.

"You look like shit," Lissa stated bluntly, standing in front of her best friend with her hands on her hips as though she was about to scold her child for not taking the chicken out of the freezer.

"Gee, thanks," Rose mumbled, as she sat up and shuffled over slightly to make room next to her for Lissa. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to check up on you. I haven't heard from you in days, I was starting to worry. What are _you_ doing?"

"Watching The Office," Rose said as she gestured towards the TV, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It's a good episode too. The one with the dinner party, you know – when Michael and Jan invite Pam and Jim over and it's really awkward."

Lissa was exasperated at her friend's nonchalance, and rubbed her fingers against her temple to relax herself.

"That's not what I meant and you know it. I meant, what are you _doing_? It's been ten days, Rose, and you're still locked up in here by yourself."

Rose closed her eyes momentarily, silently wishing that Lissa would just leave her be, but she knew her best friend well enough to know that that wasn't going to happen.

"I knew what you meant. I just didn't want to talk about it."

The thing was, that just ten days ago, Rose had decided to break up with her boyfriend of three years. Mason and Rose had met during their third year of college and had immediately hit it off, beginning to date not long after their initial meeting. When Rose decided that college was not for her, moaning something along the lines of 'how is she meant to pass when that _bitch_ of a professor, Kirova, hates her guts', the pair had tried long distance for Mason's final year until he moved to Pennsylvania to be with her. It had been going well, with Rose even planning on moving into Mason's apartment, but she couldn't help the niggling feeling that something just wasn't right.

She had always thought that love was supposed to be this big, grand feeling. She thought that love was supposed to be this powerful addiction, where nothing else mattered besides the two of you. It was supposed to make you feel warm, whole, on top of the world.

Rose knew that you couldn't force love. It was either there or it wasn't. And she knew that if it wasn't there, she needed to admit it.

And that's what she did.

Mason made her happy, sure. But he didn't make her stomach flutter with butterflies every time he entered the room. He didn't make time stand still when it was just the two of them. She knew that she didn't _love_ him. But she knew that _he_ loved _her_. And she couldn't string him along if it wasn't genuine anymore.

"Rose, I know you're sad about Mason, but you can't do this to yourself." Lissa said sympathetically, her concern and sadness for Rose clear in her tone. "You can't lock yourself up in here just because you feel guilty."

Rose sighed and let her head fall into her hands, before leaning back against the sofa.

"Maybe it was a mistake."

"Pfft as if, Rose!" Lissa exclaimed. "You've been miserable for months, even I saw that. You didn't love him. You didn't love him in the same way that Christian and I love each other, at least. You cared for him, but you didn't love him."

Rose couldn't help but smile – having known Lissa since kindergarten, they knew each other so well. It was as though the two of them knew exactly what each other was thinking or feeling. Rose had found it difficult to explain about the breakup at first, but Lissa knew exactly how she felt.

"I just feel so bad. Not just in myself but for Mason, too. He must hate me."

"Rose, you did the right thing. You would have ended up marrying him."

Rose tried to raise an eyebrow to show her discontent, but failed. She always thought it was so cool when people did that, and it was a sore point for her that she couldn't. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Yes! You would have settled and married him and then spent the rest of your life being unhappy. Trust me. You made the right decision." Lissa reached out and grasped Rose's hand. "He didn't make you happy. You didn't glow when he entered a room. You need to find someone that makes you light up like the sun. Someone that makes you feel so happy you think you might burst. Did Mason do that?"

"No…"

"I rest my case."

"But what if I'm going to be alone for the rest of my life? You just said Mason would have married me – what if no one else wants to and I'm destined to just be a third wheel in _your_ relationship forever…" Rose stood up from the sofa and began pacing in front of it, chewing at a hangnail as she spoke. "No one's going to be interested - I'm past my prime as it is!"

Lissa couldn't help the choked laugh that escaped her lips. "Don't be ridiculous Rose, you're only 24!"

Rose stopped pacing and turned to face her best friend, pointing an accusatory finger in her direction. "Easy for you to say, you've already been married for a year!"

"Yes and as I said, Christian and I _love_ each other. I can't say the same for you and Mason."

Exasperated, Rose sighed and flopped down onto the sofa cushions once more.

"Listen Rose, please don't worry. You're going to be fine. You just need to get out of this _funk_. You've been cooped up in here for over a week."

"But –"

"No – you're leaving the house whether you like it or not. I bet you've not changed out of those sweatpants for days either." Rose's guilty look that flashed across her face told Lissa that she was right. "Listen, I'm supposed to go to yoga tonight but if you want we can go out instead? Why don't we go to Pyramid?"

"No Liss, I don't want to go to a club!" Rose exclaimed, bringing her hands to her face and rubbing her temples. "Besides, Adrian will be there and he'll just spend all night trying to get me to go out with him."

"So why don't you? Maybe give him a chance now you're not with Mason anymore."

"I don't know how I feel about him." Rose said truthfully. Rose and Lissa had met Adrian one night while they were out at a bar, and after flirting with Rose the whole evening, he seemed to have become a permanent member of their group. A fact that Rose couldn't quite work out if it was a good or bad thing. Adrian was a lovely man, despite his dependence on alcohol and cigarettes, and brought a sense of light-heartedness and humour that was perhaps lacking in the group. He hadn't exactly made his desire to get into Rose's pants subtle, however, and spent most of the time while they were together trying to persuade her into his bed.

"Please come, Rose," Lissa pleaded, bringing Rose out of her thoughts.

"No, Liss. I'm not going."

"Well then why don't you come with me to yoga if you don't want to go out-out?"

"Nah I'm not going there, your instructor's a fucking creep!"

"Who, Stan? No he-"

"Yes he is! He hated me! He was always picking on me, telling me I was doing it wrong when I know for a fact I was doing it right. And he wouldn't stop staring at that girl's tits in the front either. Put me right off."

Lissa chuckled and shook her head at Rose, remembering her hour-long rant after the last time she dragged her to her yoga class.

"I was _actually_ going to say that he's not there anymore. We've got a new instructor now, quite fit actually."

"Liss! Weren't we just talking about how you were married?"

"So? A girl can look can't she? Besides, you'll understand when you see him," she added with a wink. "That's it. No excuses – you're coming with me to yoga."

* * *

Much to Rose's annoyance, Lissa had finally convinced her to join her at yoga that night, practically dragging Rose into the bathroom and forcing her to take a shower and change into her workout gear. Rose thought that Lissa would have practically bathed her herself if she hadn't agreed, so she knew that protesting was a wasted effort.

It's not that Rose didn't enjoy yoga, much to the contrary, actually. Rose was naturally gifted when it came to physical activity or exercise – she had reached her black belt in Taekwondo by the time she was ten, only two years after starting her lessons, in fact. However, she never really enjoyed going to workout classes or anything along those lines, simply because she always found it too easy.

Which is why Lissa's previous instructor, Stan, had pissed her off so much! She knew for a fact that she was carrying out the poses with perfection and precision. So when he had picked on her for what felt like the _hundredth_ time in the space of ten minutes, she stormed out, sticking a very particular finger in the air as she went, never to return.

She was glad to know that Lissa had a new yoga instructor, even if it didn't completely dispel her reluctance, and frustration, at going.

* * *

As soon as the pair entered the studio that evening, she saw him - the new instructor - and Rose was _gobsmacked_.

The words _'holy crap'_ instantaneously flashed across her mind as she first laid eyes on him, and she couldn't ignore the sudden increase of her heart rate. It was almost as though he had been chiselled out of stone by an artist. And a perfectionist at that! Stood at the front of the studio, talking to a few of the ladies here for the class, was a muscular, burly, _hunk_ of a man, who had to be _at least_ 6'5", if not 6'7". His dark hair was just long enough that it could be tied neatly at the nape of his neck, probably reaching to just above his shoulders had it not been tied back. A few strands had escaped from their hold in the hair-tie and had fallen forward messily, but somehow he had made it look intentional. They framed his face in a way that only accentuated his strong jaw and defined cheekbones. Rose instantly felt drawn into his smiling, dark brown eyes that were, strangely, staring intently right in her direction as she stood in front of the door of the studio. Rose's breathing hitched as a sudden image of those darkened eyes staring down at her, as their writhing bodies tangled together under her bedsheets, flashed across her mind.

"Stop staring, Rose, you'll burn a hole in his head," Lissa chuckled, frustratingly disrupting Rose's attention on what was, quite frankly, the most gorgeous man she had ever laid her eyes on.

"I, uh, I'm-" She managed to stutter. She was practically speechless!

Lissa could do nothing but laugh as she dragged Rose by the arm to the back of the studio, noticing the fact that the pair still hadn't broken eye contact. Rose reluctantly dragged her gaze away as she and Lissa dropped their bags in the corner of the room. Now, instead of staring at the intense, sparkling eyes of a God, she was now looking into Lissa's jade green ones. Lissa knew exactly what her friend was thinking, and she couldn't stop the knowing glint twinkling in her eyes.

"I told you, didn't I?" She grinned.

"Fuck me, he's gorgeous…" Rose muttered, her head involuntarily turning back towards the front of the room.

"I'm sure he wouldn't say no."

"Huh?"

"You said 'fuck me', I'm sure he'd take you up on it if you asked… at least that's one way to get over Mason!"

Rose was about to retort to Lissa's crude comment, when the subject of their conversation suddenly spoke up, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Okay everyone, are we ready to get started?" He asked, beginning the class.

"Holy shit…" The words slipped out of Rose's mouth before she could stop them.

"What?" Lissa questioned, as the pair edged closer to the front of the studio, finding a space and setting down their yoga mats adjacently.

"He has a fucking _accent_ and everything…"

* * *

"You're looking a bit flustered, Rose," Lissa chuckled, as she and Rose collected their things at the end of the class. Rose had been blushing red all lesson, squirming under the intense gaze of the instructor, and the usually outspoken girl had been rendered speechless.

"Stop it, Liss. He's way out of my league," Rose hissed, unable to consider being on even _remotely_ the same level as _him_.

"As if! Have you _seen_ your body?"

"Well, yes, but – I mean, have you seen _him_?"

"Yes I have seen him. I've seen him staring at you all lesson."

"No he hasn't," Rose pouted. Okay, yes, he had been staring at her, but Rose didn't want to think anything of it. He was probably just wondering who the new girl in the class was, right?

"He has, Rose. He's barely taken his eyes off you for more than five seconds. Don't tell me you haven't noticed."

"He probably stares at all the girls…"

"I don't think so - he hasn't stopped staring at _you_ the whole time. And he's definitely not staring at _me._ "

"You're imagining things," Rose said, rolling her eyes in exasperation, when suddenly she felt a presence behind her. Judging by her body's involuntary, tingly reaction and the smirk plastered on Lissa's face in front of her, she had a feeling she knew exactly who it was that crept up on them. And his scent was _amazing_ …

She stuck her tongue out at the blonde in front of her, before slowly turning and coming face to face with pure chest muscle. Tilting her head back and raising her gaze, Rose's breathing hitched as her eyes met his soft brown ones. He grinned down at her, causing her stomach to tighten and heart rate increase, before averting his gaze to Lissa's.

"Vasilisa. Nice effort today," he said, his thick accent rolling off his tongue and making Rose's knees feel weak. He nodded to Lissa politely once, before looking back at Rose – his grin emerging onto his face once more. "We haven't met before, I'm Dimitri. I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself at the beginning of class."

"Rose," she barely choked out. Honestly, what was wrong with her? She was never this nervous around _anyone._

"Ah, Roza. It's certainly a pleasure to meet you."

 _A pleasure indeed_ , she thought.

" _Rose_ , not Roza."

"Sorry, my mistake. Roza is the Russian equivalent for Rose," he informed her with a wink. So he was from Russia... "You haven't been here before, have you? At least not while I've been teaching here. Tonight was your first time?"

Rose was about to answer, attempting to squash down her nerves, when Lissa spoke up behind her. "She just broke up with her boyfriend; I was trying to get her out the house. So yeah, she's single…"

"Lissa!" Rose exclaimed, spinning round to find her friend attempting to hide a smirk. Lissa feigned ignorance, shrugging her shoulders. Rose didn't miss the twinkle in her eye, however. With a frustrated huff, she turned back around.

"Well, I hope you'll consider coming back. Next week?" Dimitri queried.

"She'll be here," Lissa interjected, yet again. Rose was definitely going to have to have a conversation with her…

"Good," he said, with a certain optimism and sincerity lacing his tone of voice. "I'll be looking forward to seeing _more_ of you."


	2. Chapter 2

_-Mature content ahead-_

* * *

_Rose could feel her arousal growing in anticipation as she stood rooted to the centre of the yoga studio floor. She couldn't take her eyes off his bare, sculpted back as he slowly walked the width of the room, closing the blinds to the outside world as he did so. Once the blinds were shut, he returned to the door, fishing out a key from his sweatpants' pocket and turning the lock, before pulling the door's blind down also. They were all alone._

_When he turned around to reveal his equally as muscular chest, Rose couldn't stop her tongue from darting out and licking her lip in excitement as her eyes roamed his body._

" _Do you know what you do to me, Roza?" He asked huskily, his darkened eyes staring intently into her own._

_She held his smouldering gaze as he sauntered towards her, his tongue mirroring hers, flicking out and licking his lips hungrily. A sudden heat formed between her thighs as she imagined those lips exploring every inch of her skin – licking, sucking, biting._

_As soon as he reached her, his hands tangled themselves into her hair and his mouth crashed down to hers. Their lips danced together urgently until she felt his tongue work its way into her mouth and tangle with hers. The feel of his tongue on hers and the moan that emitted from her lips was almost enough to make Dimitri lose control on the spot._

_Still attached at the mouth, he expertly walked them backwards until she felt her back hit the wall, where she was effectively trapped between it and the body of the man in front of her._ _She threw her head back and groaned as his lips wandered down her jaw, settling on the soft skin of her neck before continuing his ministrations. The urgency and pressure of his mouth's exploration was bound to leave a mark, but at this moment in time Rose could barely think straight, let alone care about any marks left on her skin. If anything, she welcomed being branded – anything to remind her of this ordeal. This was_ _ definitely _ _something she didn't want to forget any time soon._

_His hands worked their way out of her glorious hair, before wandering down her body and hooking his fingers into the underside of her sports bra. Without hesitation, he removed his lips from her neck and pulled her bra over her head, exposing her breasts to him. She gasped as the slightly cold air hit her nipples, only for one to immediately be replaced by the warmth of his tongue. She whimpered in pleasure as he licked, nipped and sucked at her left breast, his hand finding home on her right. One of her hands gripped his shoulder tightly while the other pulled at his hair, causing him to groan around her nipple and send shivers of desire down her spine._

_When she felt one of his large hands snake itself into her yoga pants and brush against her soaking core, this desire increased tenfold._

" _So wet for me already, Roza," Dimitri uttered, grinning against her chest._

_The moment one of his fingers circled the bundle of nerves at the top of her core, a choked moan escaped her lips and she almost shattered on the spot. She_ _ wanted _ _him._

_Not wanting to be selfish in her pleasure, the hand in his hair made its way down his body before cupping his very obvious arousal. It didn't surprise her to know that he was particularly –_ _ gifted _ _– down there, considering the physique he was sporting over the rest of his body._

_As her grip on his manhood tightened, Dimitri emitted a deep growl and suddenly he could bear it now longer. Touching her simply wasn't enough – he needed to taste her. He removed his hand from her yoga pants, immediately lacing his fingers around the waistline of both the pants and her underwear, before hastily pulling them down to reveal her toned legs and dripping centre._

_Now on his knees,_ _Dimitri placed gentle kisses on the inside of her thigh, gradually moving closer and closer to her folds between her legs. His fingers dug tightly into her hips as he nuzzled his head into her core. She could feel herself shaking in anticipation. She needed him. She needed him to grant her a release._

_Flattening his tongue, he licked a slow path along her slit before circling the bundle of nerves at the top, and Rose couldn't help but whimper in pleasure. Her hand involuntarily tangled itself into his loose hair, which earnt a groan from him and sent a shockwave of pleasure coursing through her body. Holding her still, he lost himself in her taste. As his tongue explored and lapped at her centre, it didn't take long for her to explode and soon she was shaking and crying out his name._

_He allowed her a moment to come down from her high and catch her breath_ _before taking her by the hand and pulling her over to the mirrors lining the side of the studio. With a stern smoulder in his eyes, he stood behind her and instructed her to spread her legs, reach out to hold the barre and bend over. Rose definitely did not feel shy in front of him, and she held his gaze in the reflection and she did exactly as she was told. The lust in her eyes was enough to make him growl possessively as he slowly took off his sweatpants, exposing himself to her._

_She gasped as she felt him push up behind her, still eagerly holding his stare in the reflection, and moaned hungrily as he entered her slowly. Despite his larger size, she hadn't needed much preparation for taking him in – she was so turned on and eager to be with him that she hadn't needed stretching._

" _Roza…"_

_He groaned as he starting moving, thrusting in and out of her expertly and within seconds she felt the knot of desire form once more in her lower stomach. His gazed switched repetitively from her heated eyes in the mirror, to watching himself thrust into her over and over again. He had a feeling that sex with Roza would be amazing, but he hadn't expected it to feel just as good as this._

" _Oh God – Dimitri!"_

_Feeling that she was close, he snaked one arm around her waist, reaching forward in search of the little button he knew would be the key to her next release. She cried out when he found it, pushing back against him in a silent plea to move faster and harder. He understood immediately and quickened his pace, soon pushing her over the edge as she came around him, calling out his name for the second time._

" _Fuck, Roza…" he growled before his pleasure followed hers, and he found his own release inside of her. "You're so fucking good."_

* * *

Rose awoke with a start, out of breath and flustered, utterly confused by what had just happened. She had been dragged to yoga - practically kicking and screaming – by Lissa, came face to face with what was, quite frankly, _THE_ most gorgeous man on the planet, returned home and had a _very_ vivid sex dream. What was wrong with her? She had barely uttered two words to Dimitri last night, too gobsmacked to speak properly, and here she was, dreaming about fucking him in the middle of his yoga studio!

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Rose?" She scolded herself, before sliding out of bed with a huff, retreating to the bathroom to take an _extremely_ cold shower.

* * *

Rose had just finished getting dressed when she heard the front door to the apartment open and close. If Lissa didn't have a habit of walking in unannounced, Rose probably would have jumped out of her skin, but she had a feeling she knew exactly who was walking through that door – and Rose was _not_ in the mood.

Her suspicions were confirmed when, not two seconds later, the blonde beauty waltzed into the bedroom. With a huff, Rose yanked on her last shoe and turned to face her.

"Oh good, you're dressed. I was afraid I'd find you in your sweatpants again. Are you going out?" Lissa asked with a smile.

"I've got work in twenty minutes," Rose stated.

Lissa chuckled.

"I wasn't sure if you still had a job or not, considering how many shifts you've missed."

"Of course I do," Rose snapped. "Alberta is basically my second mother, Liss, she's not going to fire me. Besides, she was the one that suggested I take some time off. She said I needed to process everything."

"I see," Lissa acknowledged. "Care to tell me what's put you in such a bad mood?"

Rose rolled her eyes, ignoring her question and walking straight by her and into the living room in search of her keys.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"I'm on my way to see Jill," Lissa answered, not oblivious to the fact that Rose was avoiding the question. "I thought I'd drop by to check you weren't hibernating again. And to see how you were after last night."

"I'm fine."

"More than fine I should say," Lissa joked with a wink, picking up Rose's keys from the coffee table and passing them to her best friend.

"What do you mean?" Rose asked innocently, already knowing what she was referring to – and it was definitely something she didn't want to discuss right now.

"I saw the two of you last night. You and Dimitri. The looks you were giving each other."

"There weren't any looks, we were just chatting. He was just introducing himself because I was new," Rose rationalised, before turning in the direction of the front door. "Now if you don't mind, I have to go to work."

Lissa was hot on her heels, following her through the hallway and refusing to let Rose ignore the situation.

"Oh please. Rose, he was practically imagining you naked. I could see it in his eyes!"

"Lissa –"

"He likes you."

"Liss –"

"And you like him."

Rose stopped dead in her tracks and fixed her friend with a glare.

"Enough, Liss. I have to leave now and you're just chatting shit anyways."

"I think you'll find I'm not!" Lissa replied with a giggle, before following Rose out of the apartment and closing the door behind her. She knew her best friend like the back of her hand, and she knew for a _fact_ that Dimitri had been on her mind from the moment she stepped foot into the studio.

* * *

" _Do you know what you do to me, Roza?"_

His words from her dream echoed around her head, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on edge as a pleasurable tingle cascaded through her body.

" _So wet for me already, Roza…"_

It had felt so vivid, so tangible, so… real. As though she could literally feel his lingering touch on her skin.

" _Fuck, Roza…"_

She wanted to, badly, it seemed. But this was a guy she'd known for an hour, who she'd only spoken a few words to, and yet -

"Thinking about me naked again, little one?"

Rose flinched as she was shocked from her daydream, looking up from where she had been staring intently down at the counter in front of her. She found herself staring into twinkling, emerald green eyes. Eyes belonging to none other than Adrian Ivashkov.

"Adrian, sorry, I was just – uh," she stuttered.

"Imagining what it would be like to bed the famous Adrian Ivashkov. Don't worry, I know that look," he said with a smirk filling his face from ear to ear.

"That's not – I wasn't –" Rose scrambled, but it was no use – once Adrian had a thought in his head, that was it. "Never mind. What can I get you?"

"Oh, nothing. I only came to see how my favourite waitress was doing. I haven't seen you around in a while."

Since Rose dropped out of college, she had been working at Alberta's diner – not knowing what she wanted to do with her life, it was easy money to keep her going, and with Alberta being an old family friend, Rose actually enjoyed her time at work! That is, when Adrian wasn't bothering her. A day didn't go by without him popping in to pester her, under the ruse of needing his coffee fix.

"I've been busy. I haven't really been out much."

Adrian scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Busy fooling around with that red headed boyfriend of yours you mean."

"Actually, Adrian, I'm not with Mason anymore," Rose sighed, averting her gaze back to the countertop in front of her.

At this revelation, Adrian's smirk fell from his face - his whole demeanour changing as he turned serious.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It's okay," she shrugged.

"Who broke up with who, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I broke up with him."

Adrian raised an eyebrow in bewilderment.

"I see."

Sensing his confusion, Rose continued.

"It wasn't fair to string him along. I realised my feelings for him weren't as strong as I thought they were."

"Are you okay?"

"I think so."

"That doesn't sound very positive …"

Rose sighed deeply and looked back up at the man in front of her, unsure as to why she was sharing this with him.

"I'm just scared I won't find anybody else, you know?"

"That's ridiculous," Adrian snorted before turning serious once more. "I know I joke around a lot and act all cocky, but, I do like you, Rose. Like, seriously. If you give me a shot I know I can make you happy."

"Adrian, I –"

"Just think about it, Rose. I know you're probably not ready yet, but I promise, I'll be waiting until you are," he told her softly, reaching out across the counter to place a gentle hand on her arm. "I have to head off, but I'll see you soon, Rose."

"Bye, Adrian," she replied with a sigh, before turning her attention back to the non-existent customers in front of her.

She wished the diner would get busy, burn down, _anything_ to stop the incessant repetition of a certain man's Russian accent echoing across her thoughts.

This was going to be a long shift…

* * *

Rose barely made it through the rest of her shift without tearing her hair out in frustration. The diner had been empty all day, give or take one or two customers, which left her with nothing to do but replay her dream over and over again in her head.

 _This is ridiculous_ , she thought, as she exited the diner, Dimitri's voice whispering in her ear for what felt like the thousandth time in the space of an hour. She was going to have to take her mind off this, and _soon_ – she felt like such a creep, thinking such _intimate_ things about a man she barely knew…

Deciding on a good old fashioned movie night to distract her, Rose's mood picked up – until she realised she used up all the ice cream when she had been moping around for the last week or so.

"Dammit, Rose!" she muttered to herself, realising she would have to stop at the supermarket on her way home. She wanted nothing more than to just curl up on the sofa and lose herself in a good chick flick, but she guessed that would have to wait if she wanted her ice cream, too.

Maybe she'd pick up a pizza too, while she was at it…

With pizza on the brain, instead of _him_ , Rose began the short walk home, stopping by the store on her way.

Knowing _exactly_ where the aisle with the frozen pizzas was, she wasted no time in rushing through the store to find her classic pepperoni, before heading in the direction of the ice cream. Only, as she got closer to the aisle, she could have sworn – no, she _definitely_ heard a voice she recognised.

A voice which made her knees weak and resonated in her brain for the entire day.

Dimitri.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me…"

Not wanting to run into him, she stopped at the end of the aisle, vowing to stay out of view and avoid him until he was out of sight.

"Sonja, I love you, but this is just ridiculous!"

The lack of reply told Rose that he must be on the phone to someone – his _girlfriend_ , perhaps?

"You send me out for one thing, and already you've phoned me twice to change your mind… I know it's not your fault… Yes, I know… Don't get upset, Sonja, look – I'll get you both flavours. Will that cover your cravings?"

 _Yes, definitely a girlfriend,_ she thought. Only a boyfriend under the thumb would cave like he did.

Rose sighed, unsure what to make of the new revelation, when she suddenly realised their conversation must have ended, when she was met with silence. Until she barely heard him mutter again under his breath…

"Thank _God_ she's having the baby soon…"

 _Baby_? Dimitri was having a baby? Rose could have sworn that's what he said. She hadn't expected _that_ , at all. But she also hadn't expected the undeniable feeling of jealousy and disappointment deep in her chest…

Fuck, she had to get out of there. Hearing footsteps in her direction, she quickly turned and headed towards the front of the store, only to halt a few paces later when the same voice she had been eavesdropping on called out behind her.

"Roza – Rose!"

She stopped in her tracks, turning around slowly and feigning surprise when she came face to face with chocolate brown eyes staring down at her intently.

"Oh hey, Dimitri," she greeted with a small smile.

A bright grin lit up his face, involuntarily causing Rose's stomach to do tiny somersaults inside her.

"What a lovely surprise, I didn't expect to run into you today."

Rose shrugged, trying as hard as she could to be friendly – but embarrassment and disappointment was making it difficult.

"I was just stopping by on my way home from work to pick up some pizza and ice cream. I'm having a _seriously_ wild night in front of the TV."

Dimitri chuckled, again turning her brain into mush.

"Don't get too crazy," he joked with a wink.

"So what are you here for?" Rose asked, curiosity once again getting the better of her.

"Oh, my sister's having a baby and she's constantly craving whatever thing we _don't_ have in the house. I offered to run out and pick up what she wanted. She gets super cranky otherwise."

_Sister? Thank fuck for that!_

"Your sister? Congratulations," Rose said sincerely, her mood instantly sky rocketing back up. She was suddenly more interested in continuing the conversation. "So do you still live at home then?"

"Oh, no, I have my own place. But I'm really the only man in the family, besides Karolina's son but he's only ten, so I feel a bit protective, I guess, of them all. I go over there a lot to check on them and do odd bits around the house."

"How lovely of you. That's really sweet."

"I try…" Dimitri smirked, winking again at the woman standing in front of him.

 _Again with the fucking winks!_ Rose thought. Was he trying to _kill_ her?

"So is Karolina the one having the baby, or do you have two sisters?"

"Three, actually. Karolina is the eldest and she has two children – Paul and Zoya. Then there's Sonja, she's the one having the new baby. And then the youngest is Viktoria, she's still in school. They all live with my Mama and my Grandmother."

Dimitri's words rolled off his tongue with ease, and he found himself wondering why he was so openly telling his life story to a woman he just met the night before – in the middle of the grocery store nonetheless! But it felt so… _easy._

"Wow, big family," Rose said with a smile that only made Dimitri's grow wider. There was something about this woman… "I see why you're so protective of them."

"Yeah, I have a lot of love for them all. I'm glad to have moved out though; it was getting a little crowded with eight of us in the house, more so now with Sonja being pregnant. I still live close to them though so I can see them a lot."

Rose suddenly felt a huge wave of respect for the stranger in front of her, seeing just how much of a family man he was.

"What about you, do you have a big family?" Dimitri continued, suddenly eager to know as much about her as he had just shared.

"No, it's just me. Although I've known Lissa since we were five, so she's sort of like a sister to me. We shared an apartment up until a few months ago when she got married, so now I'm on my own."

"You don't mind that?" He questioned, a single brow raised.

"Not really," Rose shrugged. "I was going to move in with my boyfriend but we actually just broke up."

"Oh, I remember Vasilisa said that. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It would have been a mistake anyways."

"I see."

A comfortable silence hung in the air, and the pair did nothing but stare back at the other, each trying to work the other out.

Rose was the one to break the silence.

"Anyways, I better pick up my ice cream. This movie isn't going to watch itself!"

"Yes, I have a feeling Sonja will be phoning again in a minute if I don't hurry home with _her_ ice cream," Dimitri chuckled. "I'll hopefully see you soon, Roza."

"Bye, Dimitri," she replied. "And it's _Rose_ , not Roza."

"Bye, Roza," he responded with a wink, as he turned away, leaving Rose standing dumbfounded in the middle of the aisle.

* * *

"Rose, I'm here!"

The following Friday, Lissa once again let herself into her best friend's apartment, only to find her sprawled across the sofa.

"Are you not ready yet?" she questioned with a huff.

"Ready for what?"

"For yoga?"

"Ugh, Liss – "

"Come on Rose!" Lissa interrupted, not wanting to hear her excuses. "We told Dimitri that you were coming again this week. You don't want to disappoint him, do you?"

"No, _you_ said I was coming. Not me. I don't want to go out."

"Please, Rose?"

Rose sighed in frustration, knowing she was fighting a losing battle.

"Don't you have a husband, Liss? Wouldn't you rather be at home with him?"

"No. Christian hangs out with Eddie on Friday nights. If I wasn't going to yoga I'd just be sitting at home, all lonely and depressed like you are right now. So come on –" Lissa clapped twice as if to say 'chop - chop', "– get up, dressed. You're coming with me!"

* * *

Rose felt strangely giddy as Lissa all but dragged her the entire ten minute walk to the yoga studio, she felt excited and nervous all at the same time, but couldn't quite put her finger on why. The whole week, she kept thinking about the conversation she and Dimitri shared at the supermarket – how easy it felt, how simple it was for them both to share with each other. It had only been the second time they met and, yeah, it was only a five minute conversation, but Rose felt like she had known him a lifetime.

She didn't like it.

She didn't know what it meant, and it only made her dread walking into the studio more. And when Dimitri immediately sought her out as she and Lissa dropped their bags at the back of the room, she felt her heart escape her chest and settle in her throat.

"Roza," he greeted with a grin – the same wide grin she saw in the grocery store. "You came back. Good."

"Good?"

Lissa cleared her throat before excusing herself, not forgetting to throw Rose a wink as she walked away, leaving the pair to talk together alone.

"I've been looking forward to seeing you again," Dimitri continued, taking a step closer.

"I see."

"I'm upping the intensity of the class today, Roza. I saw last week how well everyone was working through the moves. Especially you."

_Was he… flirting?_

"Oh really? Well, thanks," Rose replied with a chuckle, before turning away to search for her hair tie lost in her bag.

As she was rummaging, she heard Dimitri mutter something else, almost so inaudibly she barely caught it:

"I found myself wondering how many other _positions_ you can do so well…"

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh look, she's daydreaming about me again," a familiar voice echoed with a smirk.

"I doubt it's _you_ she's thinking about, Adrian. No offense," Christian teased.

"Rose! Hello?"

A dainty hand suddenly appeared waving in front of Rose's face, where she had been staring intently down at a drop of spilled coffee on the counter - although her mind had been undoubtedly elsewhere. Another slow shift at the diner had Rose replaying Dimitri's words over and over in her head, just as she had been for the last week.

_I found myself wondering how many other positions you can do so well…_

Being Friday, it had been an entire week since the last yoga class, and his words had been echoing in her thoughts daily. He _had_ said that, right? Well, judging by the blushed hue left on her cheeks and her inability to focus for the rest of the class, squirming silently under Dimitri's intense gaze, she surely hadn't imagined it. Unless her mind had been playing tricks on her, making her think she heard something she _wanted_ to hear?

"Rose!"

"Sorry Liss!" Rose apologised, snapping herself out of her jumbled thoughts and looking up to find her friends standing in front of her station at the counter. "Hey guys," she smiled.

Judging by the glistening in Rose's eyes, and the pink tone on her cheekbones, Lissa had a feeling she knew _exactly_ what had been on her mind! "Are you thinking about your _boyfriend_ again, Rose?" She teased, a smirk creeping onto her face.

"Boyfriend?" Adrian questioned, slightly _too_ frantically, as his eyes widened and the smile dropped from his own face. "Are you and Mason back together?"

"No, they're not. Rose has just found herself a new Russian _lover_ ," Lissa retorted with a chuckle, her grin widening in jest.

Rose sighed at her friend's words, her eyes rolling involuntarily. She was confused already as it was and she didn't need Lissa adding fuel to the fire. Especially not in front of Adrian, who she knew would be jarred by her words.

"What are you doing here, Liss?" She asked exasperatedly, not in the mood to retort back to Lissa's teasing.

"Christian and I came to have lunch. We ran into Adrian and he asked to come," the blonde explained.

"He just tagged along because it meant he could see you," Christian added, a small smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Shut it," Adrian hissed, landing a soft punch to his arm.

Ignoring the men, Lissa continued, "do you want to join us Rose? When's your lunch break?"

"Not for another hour or so," Rose answered, thankful that she wouldn't have to endure a tedious lunch with Lissa's incessant teasing. Of course, Rose loved and adored Lissa with her entire heart, but when her mind was scrambled and confused, she really wanted to be left alone to figure things out for herself. "I'm working so I can't really. Thanks though."

"Nonsense, Rose!" A chirpy voice called from the small store room at the back of the diner. "Feel free to join your friends. We've only had one table in the last hour anyway - it's not like we're rushed off our feet. I'll take over while you eat."

 _Thanks, Alberta…_ Rose thought, wishing she had some sort of telepathic ability to convey her frustration at her boss' suggestion.

Nevertheless, Rose smiled gratefully and removed her apron as Alberta emerged from out back, before leading her three visitors to one of the many free booths in the corner of the diner. Reaching the table, Rose allowed Lissa to scoot in before moving to sit next to her, finding herself sitting opposite Adrian and Christian. Being in the corner of the diner, Rose had a clear view of the empty diner – give or take the lonesome older couple sat together on the opposite side of the room.

"So Rose, what's this about a Russian lover?" Adrian questioned the moment the foursome found their seats, trying to mask his panic that Rose may no longer be single with a nonchalant tone of voice.

Rose huffed, pretending to scour the menu in front of her as if this wasn't her place of work and she knew the menu like the back of her hand. _Obviously_ she was going to order the burger with extra fries! "It's nothing," she retorted. "Liss is just being a bitch."

"Watch it, Rose," Christian warned, glaring at her from across the table. While he knew Rose was simply taking her frustrations out on others and didn't really mean anything by it, he resented anything unkind said about his wife - even if she had been teasing Rose relentlessly for the past week!

"She is! And there's nothing to it, anyway. It's just Lissa imagining things as usual."

"I'm certainly not imagining things, Rose! No one can make up just how intensely Dimitri stares at you. _Or_ that comment he made the other night. _Or_ the fact that your mind has been elsewhere since the moment you met him," Lissa droned on with a giggle.

Rose rolled her eyes yet again, but was unable to halt the pink hue returning to her cheeks as she remembered Dimitri's heated gaze. It was almost as though she was the only one in the room – he never took his eyes off her and they bore into her deeply, as though he was looking into her soul. He was _intense_ , but Rose couldn't stop thinking about him. Each time she saw him she felt butterflies swarming in her stomach, and yet their conversation at the supermarket had been so easy, so free – they talked as though they were old friends, the both of them opening up to each other so naturally despite the fact that they had only met the day before. And the way he flirted with her at the following class! It was enough to make her stomach turn in knots and heart pound heavily in her chest.

"You're blushing, Rose. You know I'm right."

"So do you fancy this guy?" Adrian questioned before Rose could respond to Lissa's teasing again.

"Yes –" Lissa began, before Rose shot her a warning glare and cut her off.

"No, I don't. I barely know the guy," she explained, turning her attention to the sable haired man sitting across from her.

Ignoring her friend's annoyance, Lissa continued. "You know him well enough to blush every time you speak to him though. Enough to want to get into his pants!"

"Enough, Lissa," Christian interjected, effectively halting the conversation. While Christian was often the first to tease Rose, and enjoyed the witty banter they often shared, he could tell that Rose was starting to feel insecure. He had noticed that something had been bothering her for the past week, and now with her reaction to Lissa's words he was sure it had something to do with this Dimitri guy. While their relationship had at first been quite strained, Christian had come to care for Rose deeply and hated to see her upset – not that he would ever admit this, of course!

Unable to ignore Christian's warning, Lissa ceased her teasing of her best friend, finally recognising Rose's annoyance. Adrian, however, was keen to get to the bottom of it! He desperately wanted to know who this Russian man was, and why Rose blushed every time Lissa mentioned him. Adrian had been thrilled when he learned Rose was no longer with Mason, and hoped this had finally been his opportunity to win her heart. Yet all of a sudden, there was mention of some _'Dimitri'_ …

Adrian could see that Rose was bothered, however, so he decided to let it go, unwilling to provoke her further. That would certainly not provide him any favours!

* * *

With Lissa finally dropping the subject of a certain Russian man, the group were able to order their food and Alberta had the kitchen whip it all up in record time. Rose had even cheered up slightly and found herself laughing and chatting with her friends with ease. Unsurprisingly, the diner stayed with a steady trickle of customers, allowing Rose to enjoy her lunch with her friends without being called back to work. Not that Alberta would have let her, though! The older woman had been concerned about Rose for weeks – she hadn't been acting like herself since the breakup that was for sure, and for the last two weeks or so Rose's mind had definitely not been in her work. Alberta cared for Rose greatly and was thankful to see her enjoy some time with the people she cared about most – she would have let her take two or three hours break even if the diner was crammed full!

Once the group had finished their abundance of food, Adrian was in the middle of sharing his plans to open his own art studio when a familiar face walked through the door behind them and into the diner, causing Rose's breath to hitch in her throat. At the new sight, Adrian's words faded into the background – long forgotten in Rose's mind.

It was _him._ He was _there -_ in the diner!

As usual, his dark hair was tied at the nape of his neck, a few strands falling loose and framing his sharp jaw. Not in the usual sweatpants and t-shirt he wore when at yoga, he looked slightly different, but _good_ nonetheless. In dark jeans, he also wore a long coat – a duster, Rose thought it was called – and despite its size, it did nothing to hide his muscular frame.

Rose couldn't bring herself to take her eyes off of him as he made his way over to the counter. She watched intently as Alberta greeted him with a smile and took his order, Rose's stomach tightening as she faintly heard his accent roll off his tongue. She hated to admit it, but she found the sound of his voice endearing – she felt that she could listen to him talk for hours on end and she would never get tired of hearing it.

But she shouldn't be feeling like this – she barely knew him! She silently scolded herself as she tried desperately to draw her attention back to the conversation at her own table. It proved no use, however – it was as though she was drawn to him, unable to tear her gaze away.

As Alberta set about making his coffee to-go, Dimitri leant back from the counter and allowed his own eyes to scan the environment around him. He hadn't been to this diner before, but with his usual place closing down he desperately needed to scout out the new one for his daily coffee! ' _Petrov's'_ this place was called, and on first impressions it seemed okay - the woman serving him was friendly, and it appeared to be a simple, family run business. The atmosphere was quiet as there weren't many customers, but Dimitri liked that – he wasn't one for crowds, usually.

Taking in the room around him, Dimitri's eyes almost bugged out of his head as they locked on some _very_ familiar deep brown ones, staring at him intently from a table in the corner. Not able to believe his luck, he didn't even attempt to stop the smirk emerging on to his face when he saw her!

Roza.

With a wide grin, he threw her a wink, causing her to blush a deep red before she quickly looked away and back towards her friends. Rose could kick herself for staring at him for so long! He had seen her and now he probably thought she was some creepy stalker!

Desperately trying to appear involved in the conversation before her, Rose nodded her head along with Adrian's recount of the many studios he had visited the day before, but this proved futile - she couldn't help but subtly watch the tall man standing just beyond Adrian's shoulder. When she noticed him walking in their direction, she almost choked on air!

"Hello, Roza. Vasilisa."

The foursome sat at the table turned their heads to see who had greeted them, Rose obviously knowing already. She was unable to respond though, her words stuck in her throat – it was as though he had literally taken her breath away!

A smile crept onto Lissa's face as she acknowledged him, unable to miss Rose's nervous silence. "Oh hey Dimitri – guys this is Dimitri. He's from _Russia,_ " she said pointedly, subtly referring back to their earlier conversation.

 _That was highly unnecessary_ , Rose thought.

"He's our yoga instructor. Dimitri - this is Christian, my husband, and Adrian our _friend_ ," she continued, desperate to make it known that Rose and Adrian were not couple. Lissa had an undeniable feeling that Dimitri and Rose would make an excellent couple, and she wasn't afraid to admit that she was hoping to play matchmaker between the two of them!

"Nice to meet you," Dimitri greeted the men, shaking their hands politely before turning his attention back to Rose. "I just spotted you here and came over to ask whether you were coming to yoga again tonight, Roza?"

"Yes, she is," Lissa interjected, "Aren't you Rose?"

"Well, actually –"

"We'll be there, don't worry Dimitri."

"Good. I look forward to seeing you," he stated with a grin, throwing a wink in Rose's direction before saying goodbye, leaving Rose once again breathless and dumbfounded.

* * *

It didn't take two minutes before Dimitri sought out Rose once she entered the studio with Vasilisa by her side. The pair had barely set their bags down at the back of the room before he made his way over to them and greeted them politely. Dimitri was well aware that he may have started to seem like a creep, running into Rose at the supermarket, and then the diner – not to mention how eager he was to speak to her each time she was at the studio! But he couldn't help it! There was something endearing about this woman, he was drawn to her and he had a very difficult time keeping his eyes off her!

"Hello again, Dimitri," Lissa returned his greeting before excusing herself from the conversation. "Rose? I'm just going to run to the bathroom before we start."

Rose glared at the back of her friend's head as she walked away, not missing the fact that this was now the second time she had 'conveniently' left Dimitri and Rose to chat together alone. With a deep breath and the best smile she could muster, Rose turned her attention towards the instructor before her.

"So, Rose. It was nice to see you earlier. Do you often go to that diner?" He asked, eager to discover whether it was purely a coincidence that he saw her today.

"I actually work there," Rose explained, pulling her hair back into a pony tail as she spoke – she couldn't help but notice the way Dimitri watched her as she did so, practically mesmerised by her thick locks. "I haven't seen you there before."

"Today was my first time. My usual café is closing so I've been looking for a new one to go to. Although now I know what the staffing is like, I may have just found it," he smirked.

* * *

Class had run pretty smoothly for the most part, although Rose couldn't help but notice that Dimitri once again hadn't taken his eyes off her for the entirety of the session. She surely wasn't imagining it – there _was_ something between them, right?

But what did this mean? Rose had barely been single for two minutes, she shouldn't be thinking about another man in this way so soon. Especially not a man that she barely knew – even if there was a natural magnetism between them.

 _Shit,_ she thought. _I really need to get to the bottom of this. Do I really have feelings for a man who is practically a stranger? And what about Mason, it wouldn't be fair on him to move on so soon._

"Okay good job everyone," Dimitri praised the class, snapping Rose from her incessant internal dialogue. "Now, I've noticed that a few of you are struggling to get your form correct in the downward dog position, so I'm going to demonstrate the correct form with one of you so that I can talk you through it and highlight where some of you are going wrong."

Rose's heart began beating four times as fast in her chest, her stomach churning – she had a feeling she knew _exactly_ where this was going!

"Rose, can I borrow you please?"

 _Yup. Called it,_ she thought to herself.

Mustering up as much confidence as she could, she held her head high and made her way to where Dimitri stood at the front of the studio, ignoring both his heated gaze and the not so subtle giggle from her best friend.

"Now, Rose, could you demonstrate the position for us please?" Dimitri asked, a twinkle in his eye and slight smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

Taking a calming breath and attempting to ignore his heated gaze, Rose expertly manoeuvred herself into the position, demonstrating the form for the rest of the class.

"Good, excellent," Dimitri praised before coming to stand closer to the petite woman. Rose's heart grew faster with each step he took. "Can you see that Rose's legs are tight - completely straight, they're not bent at the knee?" When Rose felt his large hand brush her thigh, her heart practically burst through her throat. "Her feet are grounded, flat on the floor - not on her toes," he added, his hand slowly travelling down to her calf and subsequently her ankle.

_What. The. Fuck._

Stealing a look up from the ground, she met his dark eyes with a questioning look, only to be returned with a wink from the man next to her.

"Now, Rose, could you bend your back slightly just to show the difference?" He asked, moving to stand closer behind her. When his hands reached out to rest on her waist, she almost choked! They were definitely in a... compromising... position.

"This is what I'm seeing from a lot of you. But your back needs to be straight. You need to lengthen your spine as much as possible," Dimitri explained, his hand pushing slightly on Rose's back to adjust her posture. "Perfect, thank you, Rose. Now I want to see you all trying, stretching your spine as much as you can."

Pleased with her demonstration, Rose began to stand up straight, but the blood rushed quickly to her head, causing her to stumble slightly before large hands reached out to grip her elbow and steady her. He was standing so close to her that she could practically feel his warm breath on her neck!

"You know, Roza... I can think of a _number_ of things I could do to you in that position."

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

"Where's Lissa?" Rose asked as soon as the door to her best friend's house opened at eight AM the next day, revealing a very tired and dishevelled Christian.

"It's eight O'clock, Rose," Christian groaned, running a hand through his dark hair. "It's a Saturday."

"Where's Lissa?" she repeated, pushing her way past and deeper into the house, much to Christian's frustration. He was certainly not one for early mornings, especially on the weekend, and having Rose here practically banging his front door down so early was most definitely not something he particularly wanted nor expected.

"Hello Rose, good morning. Nice to see you, do please come in!" He exclaimed sarcastically, before shutting the front door with a sigh and following the impatient woman into the kitchen.

"Lissa!" Rose called again, peering into both the dining room and the living room in search of her friend.

"She's upstairs, Rose. Some of us like to do this new thing called 'sleep'."

"Yeah, well some of us _couldn't_ sleep, so here we are!"

Christian knew he was fighting a losing battle – there was no way he would be able to go back to sleep now, not with Rose here practically in the midst of a mental breakdown. With a sigh and roll of his eyes, he set about fixing himself a _very_ strong coffee, as Rose bolted up the stairs towards the main bedroom.

Bursting through the door, she didn't hesitate to jump into Christian's side of the bed, stirring Lissa from her light sleep as she did so.

"Rose? What's wrong? What are you doing here so early?" Lissa questioned, surprised to wake up face to face with her best friend instead of her husband. Instinctively, she knew that Rose was unhappy about something – like Christian, Rose was definitely fond of her sleep and it was unusual to see her at this time in the morning so alert and wound up.

"I think you might be right," Rose blurted out, desperate for advice. She had been tossing and turning all night, unable to sleep for a certain man's words echoing incessantly around her head. Every time she closed her eyes she found herself staring into his dark ones, as though they were staring deep into her soul. When the sun had started to rise and she had barely slept an hour, she knew she needed Lissa. Lissa would know _exactly_ what to do.

"Right? About what?"

"Dimitri," Rose stated with a scoff, as though it should have been obvious. "I want him. Like _, really_ want him."

Lissa couldn't help the smile spreading on her face. Sitting up more in the bed, she gave Rose her full attention, eager for the juicy details. "I knew it."

"Don't start."

"All I'm saying is judging by the looks you've been giving each other, I'm not surprised."

At Lissa's words, Dimitri's intense gaze flashed across Rose's mind, making her insides clench deliciously. Rose was finally starting to admit the affect this man had on her. He practically made her self-combust with a simple wink.

"But Liss, what am I going to do?" She questioned, hanging her head in her hands. She felt guilty – so guilty. She was falling for this stranger, someone she hardly knew, and she couldn't help but feel bad for the man she hadn't long been broken up with.

"What do you mean?"

"Mason and I haven't been broken up long – isn't it bad to want someone else so soon?"

"Of course not!" Lissa explained, desperate to dispel Rose's worries. She knew from the moment Dimitri and Rose met each other that there was an undeniable attraction between them, and she knew that together they would be perfect. "You didn't _love_ Mason. It's a good thing that you're moving on."

"I'm not sure... I feel guilty."

"Don't! Rose – if it helps, your feelings are most definitely not one sided. Judging by that _very_ close demonstration at yoga last night, I'd be confident to say he likes you too."

"That's not all," Rose mumbled, wringing her hands in her lap. "Afterwards, he said something along the lines of how many things he could do to me in that position."

"Rose!" Lissa exclaimed, sitting up straighter and throwing her head back in laughter. "That's fantastic!"

"I don't know, Liss. My head's all over the place."

"I don't think it needs to be. This is a good thing, Rose!"

"But-"

"Listen, we're all going out tonight, why don't you come with us? Take your mind off it for a bit if it's really bothering you," Lissa suggested, although deep down she knew that Rose was worrying over nothing.

"Who's 'we'?" Rose sighed, already dreading the thought of going out. It felt like years since she had been to bar.

"Well Christian, obviously. Eddie and Mia are going, and Adrian."

Rose rolled her eyes. "I don't know, Liss. It's not really my scene anymore. When was the last time I went to a club?"

"You haven't been to a club in ages because Mason never wanted to go. You missed out on a lot of fun nights," Lissa replied wistfully, thinking back to countless messy nights without Rose, who had been undoubtedly at home in front of the television with Mason. "And hey, you were reluctant to come to yoga too, and look what's happened with that," she added with a giggle. "Who knows what fate might bring you if you come with us tonight?"

Rose couldn't ignore Lissa's logic. Going to yoga had brought a Russian God into her life, which although had left her feeling confused, she couldn't deny that this was a welcome addition. "Fine," she huffed. "I'll go."

* * *

As Rose was getting ready for her night out with her friends, she found herself becoming increasingly more excited. It had been far too long since she had spent an evening out – drinking, dancing, laughing… and as she dressed and put her make up on, she realised it had been even longer since she made herself up like this. She wasn't afraid to admit that she looked _good!_ Wanting to make an effort and throw herself into the night, rather than dwelling on a certain man, Rose had gone all out with her looks. Naturally pretty, she didn't usually wear much make up – she typically donned simple mascara and lip gloss on a daily basis. But when she _did_ throw on the additional foundation, eyeshadow, eyeliner… wow!

Wearing her long hair down in loose curls, she paired her look with a simple black dress and heels. Quite short, it expertly showed off her toned legs while the fabric clung tightly to her skin and emphasised her natural curves. She would definitely turn heads tonight!

Later that evening, Rose's excitement only increased tenfold as the group of friends entered the bar and into the hustle and bustle of the crowded environment.

Yes, it had been _far_ too long.

* * *

Rose couldn't believe that she had been apprehensive about going out, finding herself relaxing more and more as the night went on. Surprisingly, her mind hadn't once reverted back to thoughts of Dimitri – the loud music and chatter surrounding her was a welcome distraction. It wasn't long before she found herself lost in the conversation around her, laughing with Lissa, joking around nonchalantly with Adrian, catching up with Eddie and Mia – whom she hadn't seen for a long time.

The night was progressing smoothly, and Rose's heart felt full as she bathed in the love and warmth from her friends. Sitting together around a private booth, conversation flowed smoothly alongside the many, many drinks consumed.

"Can I say, Rose, you're looking delectable tonight?" Adrian smirked, leaning closer to where Rose sat beside him and draping a casual arm around her shoulders.

Slightly subdued by the buzz from the alcohol, Rose didn't have it in her to shrug him off – it was only flirtatious banter after all. Adrian was harmless, and Rose would be lying if she said she didn't at all find him attractive. Perhaps something may happen between them in the future – she couldn't rule it out as a possibility. Adrian was a good man and the pair got on like a house on fire, but right now Rose's mind was a mess! Her head was a tangle of guilt about Mason and curiosity towards Dimitri – and let's not forget the undeniable _lust_ she felt for him, too. Yes, Rose's thoughts were much too tangled to introduce Adrian into the mix as well!

"Thank you, Adrian."

"Have you thought anymore about what I said a few weeks ago? About us?" He questioned eagerly before taking a swig of his drink.

"I don't think I'm there yet if I'm honest, Adrian."

Rose felt him sigh deeply beside her, tensing his arm slightly as he did so. He was disappointed.

"Is this about the Russian?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, her brows furrowing in confusion. Why was he asking about Dimitri?

"That guy at the diner yesterday – are you interested in him?"

_Shit._

"I don't know," Rose shrugged, only slightly lying. She was definitely _interested_ – how could she not be? But it was the extent of her interest that she was unsure of. "I don't know what I'm thinking at the minute, Adrian. There's a lot going on."

Adrian offered her a friendly smile. He hated to see Rose so unhappy. Despite his reputation, Adrian's feelings for Rose ran deep – they had done ever since he first laid eyes on her. She wasn't some 'conquest' he simply wanted to bed once and move on… he valued her and her happiness. He might even go so far as to say he _loved_ her! But if she wasn't ready, then that was okay too. He would wait until she was.

"Well, I'll always be here for you, Little One," he told her sincerely, squeezing her exposed shoulder gently. "I'll be waiting for you until I'm old and grey if that's what it takes."

Rose smiled to herself, thankful for his kindness – and his lack of pushiness! Adrian was often very forthcoming with his feelings for her, flirting outright and asking her out. But then that was when she was with Mason, and Adrian knew his advances would get him nowhere. Now Rose was single, there was a very real chance he could date her, and he didn't want to put her off with his overbearing pressure.

"I'm going to get another drink," she informed the group, downing the rest of her drink before heading towards the bar.

Making her way through the crowd, Rose reached the bar across the club and waited patiently for her turn to be served. "Can I get a rum and coke, please?" she asked the bartender, raising her voice slightly to contend with the loud thump-thump-thump of the music. He signalled his understanding with a thumbs up, before setting about making her drink.

As Rose waited alone, ignoring the crowd around her, she felt a warm hand gently brush her arm. The unexpected touch, along with the jolt of electricity it sent tingling through her body, had Rose almost jumping out of her skin. She turned quickly to the side to see who sought her attention. The crowd at the bar had dissipated slightly, revealing a lonesome man sat idly on one of the stools next to where she stood, a drink in hand and a grin plastered on his face.

"Dimitri – what – hi," she stammered out as she met his darkened eyes. She couldn't believe it – what were the chances of seeing him here? It had to be a coincidence, surely.

"Hello again, Roza."

"What are you – uh, what are you doing here?" She managed to stammer out, her throat becoming dry from the sheer proximity. He smelt delicious, a scent she could only describe as 'Dimitri', and it did nothing but make her want him more.

"My friend Ivan dragged me out. I was reluctant at first and yet here _we_ are, running into each other yet again," he explained, leaning closer. "Not a bad evening after all."

As their eyes locked together, it was almost as though the rest of the club had faded away – just the two of them – until much to Dimitri's frustration, a man slightly shorter than Dimitri, with sandy hair and a cheeky glimmer in his eye crept up beside him and interrupted them.

"Dimitri, what do you think of that girl over there?" he asked, before noticing that Dimitri was no longer sitting alone at the bar – he was talking to a woman, and a very pretty one indeed. "Oh, _hello_ –"

"Ivan," Dimitri warned with a glare, knowing full well that his best friend was about to attempt a move on Rose. "Roza, this is Ivan, my best friend from college. Ivan, this is Rose."

Ivan's blue eyes sparkled in understanding at the mention of Rose's name – it's not as if Dimitri hadn't mentioned her to him about a thousand times!

"Ah… so _you're_ Rose… wow," he said, looking her up and down. "Dimitri told me you were stunning but, man, I didn't know just how right he was!"

Dimitri grimaced slightly and rolled his eyes, frustrated with his best friend's candour. "Thanks for that, брат." _Brother._

"You're welcome," Ivan retorted with a grin, before reaching across and shaking Rose's hand politely. "It's lovely to meet you, Rose."

"You too, Ivan," Rose smiled, her heart beating heavily in her chest and cheeks blushing at his revelation. Dimitri told him about her? _Why?_

"One double rum and coke. Sorry for the wait, Love," the bartender interrupted, effectively halting the conversation.

"Thank you," Rose retorted, taking the glass and reaching for her purse, before she felt a firm hand on hers, stopping her. As before, with his touch, she felt a shock of electricity course through her body, making her hairs stand on end and stomach muscles clench.

"I've got this, don't worry," Dimitri stated authoritatively.

"You don't have to do –"

"Let me buy you a drink, Roza," he reaffirmed, fixing her with a firm look, informing her that it was not up for discussion.

"Thank you," she blushed as Dimitri payed the bartender for her drink. "Anyway, I'd better get back to my group. Maybe I'll see you later."

"I hope so," he smirked as she walked away. With her drink, she made her way back to her friends, feeling Dimitri's gaze on her back the entire way.

* * *

"Rose? You okay?" Lissa asked as her friend returned to where the group sat. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide, Lissa instantly knew that something had happened.

Rose turned to look in the direction of the bar, prompting Lissa to do the same, only to find that Dimitri's gaze was still fixed on her, staring intensely.

"Oh," Lissa uttered in understanding, eyes widening slightly.

"Yeah, 'oh'," Rose retorted sarcastically, turning her attention back to the table.

Why was he here? Rose was supposed to come out tonight to take her mind off of him, and yet here he was. How was she supposed to think about anything else now when he was literally on the other side of the room?

No, she couldn't think about this now. She was here to have fun, to distract herself from Dimitri and get her mind straight – and she would do just that!

* * *

Fortunately, Rose found herself relaxing more as time went on and she was soon chatting and laughing as she was when they first arrived. It helped too that she was now on her fifth drink, and was starting to feel a wonderful buzz from the alcohol!

An hour or so had passed and although Rose was enjoying her time with her friends, she was also trying her utmost hardest to ignore the heat she could feel of a certain man's gaze on her back. The conversation around her had started to slow and she was finding it harder to distract herself, thinking more and more about Dimitri. She was thankful that she was facing away from him, otherwise she knew that she would hardly be able to take her eyes off _him_ too.

Perhaps he had gone now? Judging by the hairs sticking up at the back of her neck, she knew that was probably not the case. Risking a peek, she subtly turned her head to look toward where he had been sat at the bar. Yes - he was _still_ staring at her!

 _Well,_ Rose thought. _Two can play at that game!_

"Come on, Liss," She suddenly urged, interrupting whatever chat had been taking place. "I want to dance, come with me."

Unwilling to wait for an answer, she grabbed Lissa's hand and pulled her from her seat, practically dragging her to the centre of the dancefloor. Meeting Dimitri's gaze, she checked that they were in a clear view of their yoga instructor.

_Yep. Perfect._

Her self-consciousness inhibited by the alcohol – replaced with a new found confidence – Rose wanted to make Dimitri _squirm._ She wanted him, badly. Fuck Mason! Why should she feel guilty when she had been nothing but miserable in the relationship? She deserved to be happy, and that might just be with Dimitri! Sure, she hardly knew him really – but she sure as hell _wanted_ to know him. He had spent far too long making flirtatious comments and throwing numerous winks in her direction… it was Rose's turn to make him blush!

Making sure to hold Dimitri's gaze, Rose began moving in time to the rhythm of the music, swaying her hips enticingly and dancing sensually. As she moved, she could feel more and more eyes falling on her – she knew she looked good - but she only cared about _his_. And they were growing darker and darker by the second!

Understanding what her friend was trying to do, Lissa's eyes twinkled and she grinned widely as she began to dance alongside her. The pair moved expertly, both flaunting their assets as they let the music take over their bodies.

Succumbing to the music, Rose lost all sense of time as she and Lissa danced. She had been dancing for minutes, seconds, hours – she wasn't sure – but she felt Dimitri's eyes on her the entire time, never straying. His possessive gaze held hers, and it almost looked as though he was biting the inside of his cheek in restraint. He _wanted_ her.

_Mission accomplished._

* * *

"I need to pee," Rose stated, leaning in towards Lissa's ear so that she could hear her over the music.

Lissa nodded her recognition and beckoned her husband over, not wanting to stop dancing, but not wanting to be left on her own either. Like Dimitri, Christian had been intensely watching the girls dance, albeit his eyes had been locked on Lissa rather than Rose. Within seconds he was at her side, his hands placed possessively on her waist as they began to dance together.

Satisfied that Lissa was happy and safe with Christian, Rose left the dancefloor and made her way to the bathroom, making a point to pointedly ignore Dimitri as she did so. She knew she had had an effect on him, but she was going to make _him_ come to _her._ That is, if he wanted to.

What was she thinking? Of course he did!

Once relieved, Rose giggled quietly to herself as she washed her hands, thinking about the longing look permanently etched on his sculpted face as he watched her dance. Could he have made it any more obvious that he wanted her?

" _Dimitri told me you were stunning but, man, I didn't know just how right he was!"_

Ivan's words echoed in her head, causing her heart to lurch in her chest – Dimitri thought she was stunning!

* * *

Trying to think of what she could do next to torture Dimitri, Rose left the bathroom – only to stop dead in her tracks as she saw him leaning nonchalantly against the wall in front of her. He had been waiting for her!

"Dimitri – hi," she stammered, taking a breath and walking towards him.

"Do you know what you're doing to me, Roza? Looking like _that_. Dancing like _that_ , out there on the dancefloor," he murmured, stepping closer and gazing down at her, his piercing eyes looking deep into her soul. "You're stunning."

"Dimitri, what are you doing?" Rose asked, her heart rate picked up and her breath hitched in her throat. _Fuck_ he smelled good! Involuntarily she took a step back, but found herself pressed against the wall as Dimitri only took a step closer.

"I want you, Roza," he informed her, only confirming her suspicions.

He reached out and tucked her thick hair neatly behind her left ear, sending a wave of warmth through her body. It seemed that every time they touched, he sent a bolt of electricity into her, causing her muscles to clench and hairs stand on end.

"You want me, too. I saw it the first time we met. In your eyes," he added. "I'm right, aren't I?"

Rose could do nothing but nod her agreement, biting her lip and looking up at him through her thick eyelashes. She had been feeling so confident out on the dancefloor, but here in his close presence she felt… timid. It was as though she lost all sense of control over her body when she was near him – her mind consumed entirely by one thought: _Dimitri._

"You were wondering what it would be like to be with me."

Rose nodded instinctively – there was no point in lying. He already knew. He had owned her mind and body since that first wink in her direction.

"What if I told you that you didn't have to wonder anymore?" he continued, leaning close and whispering enticingly into her ear. "I can do things that'll make you lose control within seconds."

His words combined with his warm breath so close to her skin caused Rose's desire to spark inside of her and she couldn't hold back any longer. She attached her lips to his, kissing him with such a ferocity she surprised even herself.

_Holy fuck!_

His lips were soft, full and thankfully they were kissing her back with just as much desire as she held. It felt right, natural – nothing like the kisses she had shared with Mason. Dimitri's kiss was practically life altering!

When Dimitri skirted his tongue across her bottom lip, silently begging for entrance, Rose couldn't help the moan that escaped her. Dimitri took his opportunity and his tongue found home against hers, dancing eagerly together. Boy did she taste delicious!

As their kiss went on, their bodies drew closer and closer until they were pressed tightly together, and Rose moaned once again as Dimitri's hands roamed her body – one hand tightly gripping her waist as the other tangled in her hair. His desire was evident, his groin pushed against her hip.

 _Fuck!_ Was this really happening?

No, it couldn't. They were at a club, after all!

 _Seriously, Rose. Get a hold of yourself!_ She thought.

"Dimitri, we can't – not here," she uttered breathlessly once she reluctantly pushed him away.

Catching his breath, Dimitri rested his forehead on hers, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb as his other hand still tightly gripped her waist.

"I'd love to take you home with me, Roza, but not tonight."

_What? No!_

"Why not?"

"There's something you need to know about me," Dimitri uttered quietly, slightly dreading what he was about to admit. He wanted Rose, badly, but would she want him in the same way as he did? "I've been screwed over before. The whole relationship thing, that's not what I do."

"What do you mean?" Rose questioned, looking up at him inquisitively. What did he do, if not the 'relationship' thing?

"The 'boyfriend and girlfriend' thing. I don't do that. I _fuck_. No strings attached," he explained, his darkened eyes silently imploring her to understand.

What did he mean? Rose was confused, oh so confused! Her head was swirling with desire, alcohol and now perplexity – this wasn't how she expected the evening to go!

"I know that might not be what you want, so I want you to think about it. If you think about it and still want me, then, good. But, if it's not for you, then don't worry. I won't be offended. And I'll do my best to ignore my desire for you. It'll be hard, but I can try."

Before Rose could respond, Dimitri attached his lips to hers again, willing her to understand and to feel his longing for her. All too quickly, the kiss ended before it could deepen, and Rose found herself breathless and wanting once more.

"Think about it, Rose," Dimitri urged, before stepping away and dropping all points of contact. With his touch gone, Rose suddenly felt cold.

_Wait, come back!_

"I'll see you soon," he added with an award-winning smile and wink that made her practically self-combust on the spot.

Turning away, he left Rose standing dumbfounded outside the ladies' bathroom.

_What the fuck just happened?_

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

On Sunday morning, Rose found herself wide awake and sprawled across Lissa and Christian's sofa in their living room. She had been unable to sleep all night, for the interaction with Dimitri had been playing on repeat inside her mind every time she closed her eyes. _"I want you, Roza…"_

_Fuck!_

It had been so unexpected – she had gone out last night to get _away_ from all thoughts of Dimitri, and yet he had been there! He had bought her a drink, introduced her to his friend, watched her intensely as she danced sensually with Lissa, kissed her, turned her on and then left her dumbfounded outside the bathroom! _"I don't do relationships…"_

She felt understandably confused. She wanted him, right? She had finally plucked up the courage to admit to Lissa her feelings for him, and on the same day he confessed his desire for her too! So then why was it still so complicated? Why was she feeling so _shit_?

Groaning, Rose rolled onto her stomach and buried her head into one of Lissa's soft velvet sofa cushions. She couldn't think about this now – she needed sleep.

"Good Morning, Rose!" An energetic voiced called out, disturbing Rose's attempts of slumber before they had even begun.

Lissa flitted into the room with a grin on her face, fully dressed and showered. She almost _never_ got hangovers, despite downing drink after drink after drink. It was something Rose despised about her best friend – Rose would often drink _one_ drink and feel like crap the next day. Although miraculously, she wasn't feeling the effects of alcohol this morning – the shock of her 'chat' with Dimitri had done wonders for sobering herself up!

"Ugh, you're chipper today," Rose groaned, rolling back onto her side and sitting up to face where Lissa stood leaning against the doorjamb.

"Hungover?"

"No."

"Then why so grumpy, Rose? It's nearly 10 am," Lissa questioned, rolling her eyes in jest before heading into the kitchen. Not 5 minutes later, she returned with two coffees in her hands, placing one on the coffee table next to Rose. "Here, coffee," she offered before moving to sit on the sofa opposite.

Rose offered a small smile in return, before sighing deeply and burying her face in her hands.

" _I can do things that'll make you lose control within seconds…"_

"Rose, I'm worried about you. What's wrong? Did something happen with Adrian last night? He was practically all over you at one point."

"No, not Adrian," Rose stated, looking up at Lissa who was frowning in concern at the brunette. "Dimitri."

Lissa's eyes lit up. Now _this_ was news! After Rose had been to the bathroom last night, she had been considerably quieter than the start of the evening. Lissa had a feeling that something had happened, but she hadn't expected it to be to do with Dimitri!

"Dimitri?!"

"I kissed him."

An ear-splitting grin broke out across Lissa's face. Finally! After weeks of flirting with the guy, something had finally happened between the two of them!

"Rose! That's great!"

"No it's not," Rose groaned, again dropping her face into her hands. Lissa didn't understand – this was a good thing, surely? This was what Rose wanted!

"If this is about Mason, we spoke about this. You don't need to feel guilty."

"It's not that. It's what he said after."

Lissa's curiosity piqued and her confusion grew tenfold. She needed an explanation if she was going to at all understand this.

"Walk me through what happened," she urged, taking a sip of her coffee.

Rose took a deep breath and began her recount of her interaction with Dimitri.

"I went to the bathroom and when I came out, he was there waiting for me. And then I don't know what happened – he just smelled so good, _looked_ so good… and he was saying these things to me about how much he wanted me and I just… pounced. We kissed."

"And how was that?"

Rose's insides clenched deliciously as she thought back to their kiss. The way the electricity buzzed through the two of them as they touched, the way Dimitri's hands gripped her waist and tangled in her hair, the way he groaned into her mouth as their tongues battled…

"Indescribable."

"So what's the problem, what happened after that?"

Rose sighed sadly. "He doesn't do relationships."

 _Oh_ , Lissa thought, her brow furrowing deeper in confusion. What did that mean?

"He said that he'd been screwed over before and now he doesn't get into relationships. He just – you know… no strings attached," Rose continued.

 _Oh!_ Lissa thought again. She knew _exactly_ what that meant!

"So, sex?"

"Sex."

"Wow."

"Yep."

The two girls sat in a tense silence as they tried to wrap their heads around the situation, sipping quietly on their coffees.

So Dimitri wanted a purely sexual relationship… there were so many questions to ask!

"Would he be with other girls too?" Lissa questioned, curiously.

"I don't know," Rose shrugged, placing her empty mug back onto the coffee table in front of her.

"Would he at least take you out to places? Like a date?"

"I don't know."

"Is it a one-time thing?"

"I don't know."

Lissa chuckled. "You don't know much, do you?"

Rose just shook her head, solemnly. That was the problem! He didn't _explain_ anything! How was she supposed to think about his proposition when she didn't fully understand it?

"I think you need to talk to him, find out exactly what he means – what he wants."

Looking down at her hands in her lap, Rose sighed. "Is it what _I_ want though?"

"I can't answer that, Rose," Lissa replied honestly.

She felt a twinge of heartache course through her, empathising for her best friend. Rose had spent so many weeks dwelling on Mason and now that she had found someone she might have a genuine connection with, she was anything but happy! It wasn't fair at all. But Lissa couldn't shake the undeniable feeling that there was something significant between Rose and Dimitri – something powerful, something _real._ Perhaps this was worth pursuing?

"But maybe it will be good for you, you know? After Mason. Moving on to something new without there being too much pressure. You can have fun and enjoy yourself a bit while you're still getting over him."

"I don't know, Liss."

"This might be exactly what you need right now, Rose. Find out more. Talk to him. I think this might be good for you."

* * *

The rest of the week had dragged incredibly slowly, with Rose's days filled on repeat with work, thinking about Dimitri and being unable to sleep. Thankfully, Dimitri hadn't come into the diner again, at least not when Rose had been there, which allowed her to think about his proposal without any further confusing conversations. Although, Rose couldn't help the slight twinge of disappointment each time the door opened and it _wasn't_ Dimitri coming in for his coffee.

Rose knew that wanted him, but did she just want a physical relationship with him or did she want more? She was undeniably intrigued by him, wanting to know him personally. She wanted to know everything about him. She recalled their conversation a few weeks back in the supermarket, and how easy it had been to talk to him, how natural it felt for them to discuss their lives. This 'stranger' had told her all about his family, asked her about hers, and her friendship with Lissa… that had to mean something, right? You didn't do that, so freely she might add, if there wasn't a connection there.

On the other hand, the way he made her body light up like fireworks with just a mere look was unbelievable! She felt an undeniable lust for him whenever she was in his proximity, and she just knew that _being_ with him would be incredible. If the dream she had back when they first met was anything to go by, a purely sexual relationship with Dimitri would be _more_ than worth it!

But there were so many questions flitting around Rose's head! She needed answers before she could make a decision. Was it a one-time thing? Would he just fuck her and then leave her? Then she'd be back to square one – lonely and miserable. Would he see other women too? Rose wasn't sure she could deal with that…

* * *

Rose spent day after day thinking about Dimitri's offer, going back and forth between accepting and rejecting him – it felt like her subconscious was running around in circles like a headless chicken. She really did _not_ know what to do! Before she knew it, it was Friday night once again and she found herself under the heated gaze of her yoga instructor.

Only this time, Rose couldn't bring herself to look back at him. If it wasn't for her body's involuntary reaction to him, her hairs standing on end, then she wouldn't have known he was looking at her – she'd avoided him and his darkened eyes from the moment she walked through the studio door.

Unsurprisingly, she had tried to avoid going to class that night, but of course Lissa wouldn't take no for an answer! Rose had spent all week moping and Lissa knew that she wouldn't cheer up until she had answers – and she certainly wouldn't get answers if she kept avoiding the matter. Although much to Lissa's exasperation, she _also_ wouldn't get answers if she was going to spend the whole class pointedly ignoring him!

It was unusual to see, and this whole situation was certainly a strange one – Rose was usually so confident, so self-assured… yet when it came to Dimitri, she was a whole different person. She practically melted under his gaze, becoming giddy, shy, and certainly not the 'always-achieves-what-she-wants' Rose that Lissa knew well. It only added to her belief that something between the two of them was meant to be…

* * *

The hour long class dragged so slowly that Rose felt it must have been at _least_ three hours long! She was eager to get out of there, knowing full well that Dimitri was trying to capture her attention, and she certainly wasn't ready to face him just yet.

Thankfully, the entirety of the class passed without any inappropriate demonstrations, unlike last week's session, and Dimitri was soon dismissing his clients – although his attention had been entirely on Rose the whole time. She was ignoring him, he knew that much. Had he upset her? He felt a twang of guilt deep in his stomach at the thought – that was the last thing he wanted.

Rose had gathered her things in record time, silently urging Lissa to speed up so that they could leave! At a snail's pace it seemed, Lissa finally zipped up her bag and gave Rose a coy smile, before sauntering in the direction of the exit. She was doing this on purpose, Rose could tell! She rolled her eyes before following her friend closely behind, eager to retreat before Dimitri had a chance to speak to her. She wasn't ready to talk to him, still so confused by the matter. She didn't have an answer for him yet, that was for sure!

"Rose? Can I speak to you a moment?"

Of course, just her luck...

Dimitri's familiar voice echoed in the now empty studio. Turning slowly, she saw his tall form walking in their direction, concern etched clearly on his face as he came closer. With each step, Rose's body involuntarily lit up, each nerve burning hotter and hotter as he came nearer. Oh, what he did to her! She couldn't explain it if she tried – it was as though her body had a mind of its own when it came to Dimitri. She felt a pull to him, an urge to be near him. Like a dog coming to heel for its Master.

There was nowhere for her to run. She couldn't avoid him now, not without being incredibly rude. She needed to face him. Signalling to Lissa that she'd meet her outside, Rose took a deep breath before turning to face Dimitri once more. Okay, this was it. This was her opportunity to find out more, to find out _exactly_ what Dimitri wanted.

"Roza, are you okay? You seem a little distracted this evening. Is it about what happened last weekend?" Dimitri questioned the instant they were alone, his worry clear in his tone of voice.

Like Rose, he had spent the week fretting about his proposition and what Rose might say. He wanted her, badly, but each time he replayed their numerous interactions over the last few weeks, only one word echoed through his mind: Creep. It really did not look good for him… she must think he was a stalker, coming on entirely too strong – desperate, even. But Dimitri couldn't ignore the electricity he felt when he was near her; the heat that made him yearn for her touch.

"Listen, I'm sorry if I pushed my boundaries, I'm aware that I've been coming on too strong, it's just – there's something about you, Roza, I can't get you out of my head. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable, that's the last thing I wanted to do," he rambled, desperate to redeem himself.

Rose simply stood there, dumbfounded.

"I shouldn't have kissed you without your permission, and I shouldn't have put you in this awkward position. If you want, you can just forget about my offer and we'll move on."

 _Move on?_ No, that wasn't what Rose wanted at all! Was it? No – she needed answers first.

"Why don't you do relationships?"

Dimitri blinked, taken aback by her sudden question. "Sorry?"

With a new found confidence, Rose stood taller and crossed her arms, eager to maintain control of the conversation. Too often Dimitri dominated their interactions, and too often Rose couldn't get out what she needed to say – not tonight.

"What's the reason? Why do you only 'fuck'?"

"It's just what I do," Dimitri responded with a sigh. This wasn't something he wanted, nor expected, to talk about right now. Especially not here, in the centre of his yoga studio!

 _Stop evading my questions, Comrade,_ Rose thought. She needed to be persistent if she was going to get anywhere with him!

"I want to know why."

"I've had a lot of bad relationships in the past," he explained, trying to think of a way to talk to Rose without revealing too much detail – it wasn't something he particularly liked to discuss. "I just don't want to go through that again. It's easier if there's no pressure of a relationship."

Rose frowned, seemingly understanding what Dimitri was saying. "So you just fuck someone and that's it? You get your jollies and then it's over?"

Dimitri couldn't help but chuckle at Rose's accusation – she had it all wrong!

"No, Roza. It's not like that at all!"

"So enlighten me then," she retorted with a roll of her eyes, slightly annoyed that he was finding her so amusing.

"It wouldn't be a quick roll in the hay and that's that. Think of it as more of a… friends-with-benefits type situation. All the good parts of the relationship, only without the pressure, the fights, the labels…" Dimitri explained, before taking a step closer to the woman in front of him, reaching out and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. In the closer proximity, he basked in her scent – she smelled gorgeous, and it took Dimitri all of his strength not to kiss her there and then.

With a wicked grin, his eyes darkened as he lowered his voice. "And trust me Roza, it's not just about _my_ jollies at all. _You_ would benefit just as much as I would from this arrangement."

Rose's breathing hitched, her lips parting as her tongue darted out to lick them – his words had just as much of an effect on her as his mere proximity did.

Dimitri continued. "If anything, your pleasure matters _more_ to me than my own."

 _Wow._ God, did she want him!

No.

_Stay in control, Rose._

"And there are others?" She asked, taking a slight step back to maintain some distance.

Dimitri frowned, clearly not understanding what she meant.

"Do you 'fuck' other people as well?" She prompted, clarifying her question.

"No, Roza. It would just be you."

So just her. Rose and Dimitri…

"Then it's a relationship?"

"No."

"So I wouldn't be your girlfriend?"

"No."

"And you wouldn't be my boyfriend?"

"No."

Rose's brows furrowed in confusion – she really was not getting this. He wanted to be with her, but not as her boyfriend. He doesn't want the 'pressure' of a relationship, yet they would be exclusive? If Dimitri was described as one thing, it would without a doubt be 'confusing'.

"It's just not what I do," Dimitri stated, sensing Rose's doubt. He was eager to set things straight, well aware that he was certainly not making himself very clear. "I'm not interested in that sort of relationship anymore."

"So why me? Why not anyone else?"

"Because I want _you,_ Roza _._ "

This was something else Rose couldn't get her head around – why Dimitri wanted _her_ in particular. He could have anyone he wanted to, Rose believed, yet by some miracle he wanted her. Rose.

"But why?"

"You intrigue me," he answered without missing a beat. "You've been on my mind since the moment you first walked through that door."

He took another step forward, closing the gap between them once more.

"I want to know what if feels like to be _with_ you. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about you being in my bed."

Suddenly, images of the two of them together, bodies moving as one, moans and cries echoing off the studio walls came flitting welcomely into Rose's head.

"I have, too," she whispered, embarrassed. Oh _yes._ She had certainly though about it.

Now _this_ was unexpected music to Dimitri's ears! He couldn't help himself – reaching out, he tucked a loose strand of hair from Rose's ponytail behind her ear, his brief touch igniting her body once more.

"What have you thought about?" He questioned, only for Rose to bite her lip in response. "Roza, tell me. Now. What do you think about?"

Rose looked up and into Dimitri's intense gaze. He urged her to tell him, and something about his stare made it impossible to defy him.

"I've had dreams. Of us. Here. Everywhere," she explained, unable to tear her eyes away from his sculpted face. "You and I in the middle of this room. My place, yours… You making me scream."

"Well, I'd very much like to do that, Roza."

 _Fuck…_ Now or never.

"So do it," she urged.

"I want you to be sure."

"Just kiss me, Dimitri!"

That was all the encouragement he needed! Without a second thought, he attached his lips to hers, almost instantly eliciting a moan from her throat. The kiss was heated, eager, and Rose felt that she couldn't get close enough to him. One hand gripped tightly at his t-shirt while the other explored his neck, roaming every inch of him she could find. Dimitri responded in kind, his own hands secured tightly on her hips, pulling her flush against him. Their tongues battled together for dominance and Dimitri marvelled in her taste. She was divine.

All too quickly, Rose needed air and she reluctantly pulled away to breathe. Their chests rose and fell in unison as they caught their breaths, but still their hands didn't let go. Gently, Dimitri rested his forehead on hers, silently urging her to accept his offer. He needed more of her. He couldn't get enough.

"Okay," Rose said suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Okay?"

"I agree," she continued, a smirk on her lips. "You and me, no strings. Just sex."

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

" _You and me, no strings. Just sex."_

Dimitri couldn't count how many times he had wished to hear these words fall from her lips. How many times he had thought about fucking her into next Sunday and not have to worry about 'where the relationship was going' or 'what they meant to each other'. He knew it sounded bad, but a relationship was just not what he wanted, nor something he felt he was worthy of, given what had happened to him. But there was something about Rose that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Something about her that called out to him. He desperately wanted her, and hearing her agree to his terms was music to his ears.

"Are – are you sure?" He questioned through heavy breaths, his hands still firmly attached to her hips.

_God, please say yes._

"I think so."

Truth be told, Rose wasn't sure if this was something she could do – she had never been involved in a relationship like this before. Sure, she flirted with guys like there was no tomorrow, but she had never embarked on something unless she knew they were serious – like Mason. Well, if you didn't count the brief fling with Jesse back when they were in high school, that is!

But there was an undeniable attraction between them, and while Rose wasn't sure if this sort of relationship appealed to her, she knew that she wanted Dimitri in any which way she could have him. If that meant a relationship without labels, then so be it.

"I think so, I mean – I _want_ you, Dimitri."

A groan escaped Dimitri's lips and his grip on her hips tightened, pulling her even closer to him.

" _Roza,"_ he strained, "you drive me crazy."

" _You_ drive _me_ crazy," she retorted. "I hardly know you and yet, it's like my body calls out to you."

Dimitri nodded his understanding, knowing exactly what she meant. From the first moment she walked into his yoga studio a few weeks ago, all he could think about was her. Her body, her hair, her smile… he needed her like a bee needs honey.

Dimitri attached his lips to hers, pulling her into a heated kiss once more. Her body responded in kind, her heart rate elevating and a heat pooling between her thighs at his touch. But all too quickly, Dimitri pulled away, leaving her breathless and wanting.

"I just have to put the mats away and grab my things, but then did you – did you want to come back to mine?" he asked, his usual confident façade slightly diminished. Usually so confident and self-assured, he felt that Rose could see right through him, and suddenly now, so close to her, he felt shy.

 _Buck yourself up, Dimitri_ , he thought. _She's just a girl._

"God yes," she groaned. There was no question about it. As soon as she had made up her mind about his proposal, all she could think about was how quickly she could get herself into his bed!

Reluctantly, the pair pushed away from each other – Dimitri turning to pack up and lock up the studio, and Rose swiftly meeting Lissa outside to tell her not to wait for her. With a grin and a twinkle in her eye, Lissa drove away, knowing deep down that her instinct was correct; Rose and Dimitri were a match made in heaven.

* * *

The short drive to Dimitri's apartment was filled with palpable tension, electricity radiating off both of their bodies, and each stealing numerous glances across to the other out the corner of their eyes. They had barely set two feet through the door when they arrived at their destination, before Dimitri had Rose pinned tightly against the wall, his lips attached to her neck, shoulder, mouth – anywhere he could find – while his strong hands held her tightly in place.

With a groan, Rose's hands wandered his body – one wound tightly into his long hair while the other clawed at his muscular back. Dimitri's lips worked their way up from her collarbone to her chin, before their tongues collided in a passionate dance, moving together as though this was a kiss they had shared a thousand times before.

Desire sparked between them, and soon Dimitri's hand was making its way towards Rose's heated core. Backed against the wall, she was completely at his mercy, allowing him to inflict whatever pleasure he so desired. Starting at her chest, his thumb brushed her hard nipple through her sports bra as he grabbed and groped the delicious mound of her left breast, eliciting a soft moan from her lips.

" _Dimitri,"_ she groaned against his lips, pushing her chest further into him as her hand tightened in his hair.

With a grin, Dimitri painstakingly slowly drew his hand along her waist, to her hips, and finally disappeared into the waistband of her yoga pants.

" _Fuck,_ Roza," he groaned, as his fingers came into contact with her dripping core for the first time. He could hardly believe how wet she was, and they had barely begun! "You're so wet," he uttered, slightly stunned.

"I told you, I've had dreams of this," she justified with a shy giggle.

"And am I living up to your expectations?" he questioned, fixing her with a dark look in his eyes as his fingers brushed against her core, causing her hips to buck forward and another moan to escape her throat. She was already so close to the edge and Dimitri had hardly touched her. It had never, _never_ been this good with Mason.

"You're exceeding them."

"Good," he responded, before slipping a finger deep inside her tight walls, pumping agonisingly slowly in and out of her. He added another finger, feeling her clench tighter with each thrust, his thumb brushing her bundle of nerves and only adding to her pleasure.

"Dimitri, I'm going to come."

"No," he warned, and all too quickly his hand disappeared from her yoga pants, leaving her panting and crying out in frustration. "Not yet."

"Oh, _please_ ," she moaned, "you feel so good."

He chuckled, before bringing his soaking fingers to his lips and sucking off the remnants of her juices, almost causing Rose to self-combust on the spot at the erotic sight.

"And I thought you wanted me to make you scream," he teased, his accent thicker than ever, revelling in her heated and frustrated gaze.

Rose could only nod, her heavy breathing stunting her words.

"Well then, Roza, it'll be better if I make you wait."

Pushing away, he pulled her away from the wall, taking her by the hand and leading her to what she presumed was his bedroom. Her eyes fixed on his sculpted back, she resisted the urge to sneak a peak around his apartment – she could always do some snooping later on, after all. All that mattered right now was her and Dimitri, and the delicious, almost painful ache between her thighs.

Once inside the bedroom, Dimitri shut the door behind them before turning and meeting Rose's darkened eyes. The rise and fall of her chest told Dimitri that she was struggling to keep her heavy breathing controlled and Dimitri knew that she really _hadn't_ been lying when she told him she wanted him. It took almost all of Dimitri's self-control not to rush this – he had imagined this moment for the last three weeks, and he wanted to prolong it for as long as possible! On the other hand, the pair were far too dressed for his liking, and he was eager to rectify this as soon as possible.

"Take off your sports bra," he commanded, leaning back nonchalantly and folding his arms authoritatively.

With the look in his eye, Rose didn't dare defy him – not that she would ever want to! She too felt uncomfortably over dressed, eager to rid herself of her clothes – and his! Without question, she hooked her fingers underneath the hem of her sports bra, lifting it effortlessly over her head and dropping it on the floor beside her. Dimitri almost let out a growl at the sight of her bare chest. She was mouth-wateringly gorgeous, and Dimitri felt his hands twitch in anticipation – desperate to reach out and touch her.

"Now you," Rose uttered, neither a question nor a command.

With a smirk, he complied, standing away from the door just long enough to pull his t-shirt off. He didn't miss the way Rose's tongue darted across her lips at the sight of his own muscular chest.

"I want you to take off your yoga pants and underwear, and lay on the bed with your legs apart," he ordered, taking off his own sweatpants, leaving himself in just his boxers – which did nothing to hide his particularly gifted arousal.

Rose did as she was told and, not two seconds later, Dimitri joined her on the bed, his lips clashing to hers desperately as his hands roamed every inch of her skin.

"What do you want me to do, Roza?" He questioned as they pulled apart for breath.

"I want you to touch me," she pleaded, not bothering to hide her desperation. Dimitri made her feel things she had never felt before – this was a level of pleasure brand new to her, and she couldn't get enough if she tried.

"And?"

"Make me scream."

At her words, Dimitri's fingers found home inside her dripping centre once more, pumping in and out gloriously, drawing her closer and closer to the edge once again. A series of moans fell repetitively from her lips, and he could feel her start to quicken and tighten around him. Frustratingly, he pulled away just before she toppled over, but before she could protest, his fingers were quickly replaced with his flattened tongue. Dimitri had swiftly navigated his way down the bed, burying his face between her thighs. When his tongue licked a long, sensual trail from her slit to her clit for the first time, he couldn't help but groan his contentment at her taste; he knew she would taste divine, and she certainly did not disappoint!

"Fuck, _Dimitri_ ," Rose groaned, writhing beneath Dimitri's touch as he tortured her with his tongue. She was close again, and Dimitri knew it. Only this time, he wanted her to fall over the edge, he wanted her to fall apart beneath his ministrations.

"Cum, Roza," he ordered between laps of his tongue. "Cum for me, now."

Almost instantly, she complied, her abdomen clenching and walls tightening. A scream tore from her lips as she came mercilessly, lacking control over her body, lost in Dimitri's touch and warmth of his tongue as he drew out her orgasm.

When she returned to Earth, a satisfied grin across her face, Dimitri worked his way back up the bed, lying beside her and planting a kiss on her lips. She could taste herself on his tongue, which oddly turned her on even more; it was unlike anything she had tasted before – a mixture of her own juices and a taste she could only describe as 'Dimitri'.

Once her breathing slowed, Rose turned her attention to Dimitri, eager to return the favour and bring him to new heights of pleasure – as he had for her. Kneeling beside him, she quickly rid him of his boxers, his cock springing free at the instant of freedom. A small gasp escaped her lips at the sight of him, quietly shocked at his size, causing Dimitri to chuckle slightly at her expense.

 _Yes Roza_ , he thought, _it'll fit._

Dropping his underwear to the floor, Rose settled herself between his thighs, her head just above his manhood. She looked up at him through her thick eyelashes, nearly losing herself in the delicious expression plastered on his face. His eyes were dominating, full of lust, almost threatening in the sexiest way imaginable. With an uncharacteristically shy grin, she wrapped her fingers around the bottom of his shaft, licking a slow trail along the underside of his cock before drawing him slowly into her mouth. The groan from his throat was almost animalistic, and his hand instinctively flew to her head, gripping her hair tightly, possessively. It was only slightly painful, but Rose found that this only added to her desire - the sting of her scalp sending waves of pleasure straight to her abdomen.

She wanted more than anything to draw this out, to tease him, but the dark look on Dimitri's face, along with the tight grip on her hair, told her that Dimitri was not one to be teased right now. Instead, she set to work, bobbing her head up and down with expertise, sheathing her teeth and hollowing her cheeks. Lost in the feel of her wrapped around him, her name fell from his lips like a prayer. Hearing her name amongst his choked groans, Rose felt her desire pool between her legs once more, thrilled at the obvious pleasure she was inflicting on the man beneath her.

"Stop, Roza," Dimitri warned as he grew closer. "I'm going to come, and I want to feel myself inside you before I do," he added, pulling slightly on her hair commandingly to guide her off him and back up the bed, so that her heated core hovered just above his throbbing length.

"Do I need a condom?" He questioned, reaching across to the bedside table with his free hand, the other still tangled tightly in her hair.

Rose shook her head. "I'm clean, and I'm on the pill."

A grin spread across his face, before he swiftly flipped them over, pinning Rose beneath his heavy body weight.

"Are you ready for this?"

Feeling his arousal mere centimetres from her centre was almost too much for Rose – she had dreamed about this moment countless times, and now that it was finally here, she couldn't quite believe it.

"God, yes," she pleaded. "Please, Dimitri."

In one swift motion, Dimitri buried himself inside her, growling at the feel of her as he did so and causing Rose to moan at the pleasure. He filled her to the hilt, stretching her sweetly with his gifted thickness.

"Roza, ебать…"

It was a feeling like no other – and one he knew he'd never be able to top; nothing would ever feel as good this moment right now. Slowly, he began to move, and soon he was pounding into her wildly, her hips meeting his thrust for thrust. Soon, Rose found herself teetering on the edge again, her abdomen clenching and walls tightening.

"Fuck, Dimitri… harder!"

With panted breath, Dimitri cocked an eyebrow, both amused and thrilled by her demand. His darkened eyes sparkled as he sent her a look which could only be construed as "You want hard? I'll _show_ you hard."

Effortlessly, Dimitri pulled himself out of her before flipping her over onto her front. With commanding hands gripping her hips tightly, he pulled her up so that her ass was in the air, before slamming back into her with a grunt, causing her to cry out in pleasure. No one had ever been this rough, this confident, this domineering with her before, and she loved it! _This_ was how she liked to be fucked!

"Hard enough, Roza?" He smirked, reaching down and pulling her arms behind her back, holding them together with one hand, while the other curled around her in search of her clit.

"Yes! Fuck, please, Dimitri!" She managed to cry, lost in the feel of him moving in and out of her.

"Please?" He questioned with a grunt, knowing exactly what she wanted, judging by the increasing tightening of her walls and moans falling from her lips.

"I'm going to come," she groaned, and Dimitri sped up his thrusts and ministrations on her pleasure button, sending her into the abyss with a delectable scream.

With a final thrust and a string of Russian profanities, Dimitri stilled, spilling inside of her as Rose came down from her orgasm, the pair utterly spent and satisfied from their first time together.

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

"That was… wow," Rose said through panted breaths, as she and Dimitri untangled themselves and lay spent side by side in his bed.

Her body ached and glistened with sweat, and she could hardly believe the pleasure Dimitri had wreaked upon her. She had certainly never experienced anything like that before, always finding sex simply 'mediocre' in the past. Always when Lissa had raved about how good it was, or she saw sex scenes on TV or in movies, Rose had thought it was all a big exaggeration – but how misguided she was! Dimitri had brought her to new heights of feeling that she hadn't thought possible at all.

Yes, agreeing to Dimitri's terms was certainly a good decision. This was something she could do – if the sex was this good, who cared about labels or not being in a 'mainstream' relationship? Dimitri had surpassed all expectations, and Rose was already craving the next time she could explore these new realms of pleasure with him.

Although, having never embarked on an arrangement like this, Rose wasn't entirely sure of the protocol. What was she meant to do now? They'd had their sex – was he expecting her to leave? Should she stay the night?

With a sigh, Rose began to sit up, ready to collect her things and leave. That was what she should do right? Sex and nothing else – that meant she had to go.

"I suppose I should go now then," she stated, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and standing, grabbing her yoga clothes from the floor. In their eagerness as they entered the apartment, Rose had dropped her gym bag by the front door when Dimitri pushed her against the wall. She was thankful that she always stored a change of clothes in there, not wanting to put on her sweaty sports bra and yoga pants again. She would need to go in search of it, change and then leave as soon as possible – she didn't want to be a burden on the rest of Dimitri's evening. That's what he would want her to do, right?

"Why?" Dimitri questioned, propping himself up on his elbows and raising his eyebrow in confusion.

Rose furrowed her brows – she was simply doing what she thought he wanted her to. Was she wrong?

"Because we just – isn't it part of the arrangement? Just sex?"

Dimitri chuckled, only slightly hurt by the obvious way in which Rose viewed him – a fuckboy.

"Roza, I'm not going to just fuck you and then kick you out straight away. I think you've got me all wrong," he clarified. "Besides, who says I'm not going to want you again this evening?"

A blush spread across Rose's cheeks. This was going to take some getting used to – Rose felt that she had a lot to learn, and already she was questioning where she stood with Dimitri. This sure seemed like a relationship to her – surely if this was just sex, he'd want her to leave by now?

"Did you eat before yoga?" Dimitri questioned, suddenly changing the subject.

"No."

"Are you hungry? I'm going to order Chinese food."

Almost immediately Rose's stomach growled, informing the pair of them that she was indeed hungry. And boy did Chinese sound good right now!

"Sure," she agreed, slightly taken aback by his offer. She had been fully prepared to leave after their previous activities, and now they were having dinner together! "Do you mind if I shower? I usually shower after yoga but obviously…"

"Of course," Dimitri answered, standing up from the bed and pulling on sweatpants and a tight-fitting t-shirt. "Bathroom's through there. I'll order our food. What would you like?"

"Anything," Rose stated, entrusting her choice of food to Dimitri.

 _Comrade, you're so confusing,_ she thought as she collected her gym bag from by the front door and went in search of the bathroom. Rose desperately needed to find out why he was so against calling this a relationship – why he was so against labels. Perhaps then she would understand their arrangement better – because it was certainly looking like a relationship from where she was standing!

* * *

Once she was showered and dressed again, Rose made her way to the living area, allowing herself to take in Dimitri's apartment now that they weren't in the midst of passion. It was a fairly small place, consisting of a bedroom, bathroom and an open plan kitchen and lounge area – just enough space for one person, Rose thought.

As she wandered into the living space, she found Dimitri clearing some space on the kitchen island, informing her that their food wouldn't be too long. Rose nodded, and turned her attention to all the knickknacks and photos strewn around the apartment, eager to find out more about this man who was, quite frankly, still a stranger. From the little that she knew about him already, there wasn't anything that really shocked her about where he lived – it seemed very serene, homely, and matched his personality exactly. Although, she couldn't help a little smirk emerging on her face when she came across Dimitri's collection of old western novels on his bookcase – now _that_ was something she could tease him about later!

Hung on the wall behind the couch, Rose saw numerous photos depicting various people – his family, she presumed. She knew that Dimitri was a family man, after all. Scanning the pictures, she spotted one of two young men – one was undeniably Dimitri, only slightly younger looking and less 'defined'. The other man she recognised as the guy from the club last weekend. Dimitri's friend… Ivan? Yeah, that was it. They were obviously close, judging by the way they interacted with each other. The photo told Rose that they had been friends for a long time.

"How long have you known Ivan?" She asked, leaning closer to inspect the photo in further detail.

"Too long," Dimitri groaned. "I knew him in school, but we didn't really speak. We ended up going to the same college and we were placed in a dorm together. Now I can't get rid of him."

Rose giggled. "You like him really."

"Yeah, I do" he nodded. "I couldn't live without him now."

Turning her attention to the next photo, Rose saw Dimitri with his arms around two women. One looked as though she was in her mid-forties, warm and welcoming, while the other looked much older – and actually slightly scary looking!

"Who's this?" Rose questioned, pointing at the photo.

Dimitri came closer to see which photo she was looking at, standing just behind her when he reached her. As he leant in to inspect the photo, his arm brushed against Rose's, causing a jolt of electricity to pass between them. Rose's breath caught in her throat, and she wondered whether Dimitri felt it too. Although judging by his lack of reaction, it seemed unlikely. Rose couldn't help the twinge of disappointment she felt at this revelation.

"That's my Mama, Olena," Dimitri informed her.

"She's beautiful," Rose smiled, observing the clear similarities between Dimitri and his mother. He had definitely inherited her good looks.

"Next to her is my grandmother, Yeva."

 _Ah,_ Rose thought, _scary lady._

"She looks a bit, um…"

"Scary?" Dimitri asked with a chuckle, finishing Rose's unspoken words.

"Yeah."

"That's because she is," he grinned. "But I also love her to pieces."

"And are these your sisters?" Rose asked, pointing to the photo next to the previous one, with three young women smiling and laughing, all various ages. _Pretty,_ Rose thought.

"Yeah, that's them."

"Who's who?"

Dimitri stepped slightly closer to point at the photo, his arm once again brushing against Rose's. He smelled amazing, and Rose felt her heart rate increase at the close proximity.

"Sonja, Karolina, Viktoria," Dimitri told her, pointing to each sister in turn. "I told you a bit about them at the supermarket, I think."

"I remember. They're pretty, too," Rose complimented, "your family was blessed with good genes."

Dimitri chuckled, yet he felt an unexpected wave of pride and warmth at Rose's kind words about his family. It pleased him that she seemed to like them, despite having never met them before. It was a strange feeling, one that surprised him slightly – why did it matter to him what she thought of his family? It wasn't as though she would ever meet them, after all!

A sudden knock at the door distracted the pair's attention away from the family photos and their conversation.

"That'll be the food," Dimitri guessed, before turning to answer the door. He decided not to dwell on the unusual emotions he had just felt – he was sure it was only to do with his pride for his family, and not anything to do with Rose at all.

Collecting the food and paying the delivery driver, Dimitri dished out their takeout on to plates and set them on the counter, prompting Rose to pull up a stool and join him at the counter. Tucking into their food, they pair continued their conversation.

"So when did you move here?" Rose asked, keen to know more about the man sat in front of her.

"I was about ten, eleven or so," he answered, taking a bite of his Chow Mein.

"Where did you live before?"

Dimitri chuckled.

"Can't you tell?"

"Well I know Russia, obviously," Rose retorted with a roll of her eyes. _Duh._ "I meant where in _Russia_?

"Baia. It's a small village, I don't think you'll have heard of it."

Rose opened her mouth to say something, keen to prove him wrong and rise to his challenge, but absolutely _nothing_ came to the forefront of her mind. She had indeed never heard of such a place!

"Thought so," he teased with a smirk.

"Do you miss it?"

"Sometimes."

"Why did you move?"

"You sure ask a lot of questions," Dimitri observed, slightly amused by Rose's incessant questioning.

"I want to know you," she explained with a nonchalant shrug. Although to Rose it felt as though she had known him all his life, in reality, she had only known Dimitri for three weeks. If she was going to embark on this relationship – sorry, _arrangement_ – then she was going to have to get to know him.

"My father's job sent him over seas. We ended up here in Pennsylvania."

Rose nodded, thinking back to the assortment of photos on the living room wall. "You have no pictures of your dad on the wall," she stated.

Dimitri's eyes met hers, taken aback by her question. Did he want to go into this with her? He rarely spoke about his father to _Ivan_ , let alone a girl he had known for mere minutes.

 _Screw it,_ he thought. _I can tell her._

"No, I don't."

"Why not?"

"I don't speak to him anymore. I don't even know where he is," he told her, shrugging his shoulders as if to say, 'I don't care'.

Unsure what to say, or whether she should continue with this conversation, Rose didn't say anything in response to Dimitri's revelation. However, Dimitri felt a compelling urge to continue, as if he needed to tell her everything about himself.

"He cheated on my Mama about a year after we moved here. She forgave him, but after that it was never the same. He started to drink more and eventually he became really violent. He and I fought all time because I couldn't stand the way he spoke to Mama or my sisters. I came home from school one day and found him hitting her. I, uh, hit him back, and that was the last we saw of him. He left us."

 _Wow,_ Rose thought. _That was unexpected._

"You didn't go back to Russia?" Rose questioned, not wanting to push Dimitri too far on the topic of his father.

"I don't think Mama could have afforded it. And I think she saw that we were happy here, at our school, so she didn't want to upset us."

Rose smiled softly. "Sounds like she really loves you."

"And us, her," Dimitri nodded, thinking back to his childhood and living with his mother and sisters. They were certainly not well off, but Olena always made sure her children were happy. "What about _your_ parents?"

"What about them?" Rose asked, looking away.

Dimitri got the feeling that this was a sore subject. "You don't like them?"

"Not really. They travel a lot with Dad's job, so I was left by myself a lot when I was growing up. I practically lived over at Lissa's."

"You're close with her."

"She's a sister to me," Rose nodded with a smile.

They pair fell into a comfortable silence as they continued eating their food. As the minutes passed, Rose became more and more curious. He had opened up about his family - would he tell her now why he didn't like relationships?

"Dimitri, why don't you do relationships?" She asked shyly.

"I just don't," Dimitri retorted, "How long have you known Lissa?"

_Avoiding the question, are we?_

"We met in Kindergarten," Rose answered, before trying again. "Why don't you do relationships?"

Dimitri met Rose's eyes with a warning glare – this was something he didn't want to discuss, not now, not ever. "I can see why you're close then, having known her so long," he stated, changing the subject again.

Rose sighed, disappointed that he wouldn't confide in her.

 _One day,_ she thought.

"Have you finished eating?" Dimitri questioned, standing to clear their plates.

"Mhmm," Rose nodded, slightly despondent.

"Good, because it's getting late and I want to take you on at least three more surfaces before you go."

Rose suddenly perked up, a blush emerging on her face and stomach clenching in anticipation. Now _that_ sounded like a damn good idea!

* * *


End file.
